


Slow Process to Redemption

by LadyKeren



Series: Ruler of the Stars [2]
Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Reality, Canon Rewrite, Eventual Romance, F/M, Multi, Other, Teen Crush, Teen Romance, conflicted feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2020-10-14 01:34:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 62,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20592479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyKeren/pseuds/LadyKeren
Summary: Nephrite is finally in charge of gathering energy,with his best minions at his side. He encounters Usagi's best friend, Naru Osaka. At first he planned to use her as a tool,but it seems she has managed to melt his frosty heart.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Notes: Once again, Sailor Moon and its characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi, not me. However, Ruby, Miki and Yukari do belong to me so taking them is out of the question. Sequel to Stand by You. Using Japanese names with a mixture of dub and original influences. Rated T for violence. There will be twist of events here and there. Flames will not be tolerated.

Jadeite stood in Queen Beryl's throne room, sweating profusely as he wracked his brain for a way out of his predicament. He didn't know what punishment the evil queen had in mind for him, but the mere thought of her wrath made his heart pound with fear as he knew what she was capable of once her patience came to an end. A slight glimmer of hope arose deep within him that through some miracle, his explanation would be enough to persuade her to spare him. After all, it had been Thetis’ idea to get involved, and he would not have agreed to work with her if he had his way about it. He bowed his head, shaking it lightly. _‘I guess what the humans say is true; desperate times call for desperate measures. What I don’t understand is, how did three little girls who are weaklings in comparison manage to thwart my plans? Well, no matter. Their luck will run out sooner or later if by some miracle I get out of this alive.’_

Soon, he heard footsteps, which instantly silenced his musings and prompted him to glance up. Along with his racing heartbeat, he got an uneasy feeling in his stomach as he spotted the evil woman coming to sit on her throne. It was all the blonde young man could do not to squirm at the stern expression she wore.

"Jadeite," the witch queen began in a rather calm tone. "You have done well with the amount of love energy you just collected. However, you made a grave mistake when you used Thetis in your plans without my permission, and you have constantly failed to defeat the three senshi. This perturbs me greatly."

Jadeite mentally flinched as Beryl reminded him of Thetis ’demise and his failures. He knew he was not entirely at fault for the former, since the youma was very unrelenting in her pleading. _‘It remains to be seen if Beryl will listen to me now if I point that out. She didn’t before.’_ He clenched his fists to calm the anger rising within him he felt as an image of the senshi appeared in his head. "Please…give me a chance to explain, Queen Beryl."

"I am not interested in your feeble explanation!"

'_Darn it!’_Jadeite nearly jumped at the rise in Beryl’s voice. He silently swore, feeling annoyed with himself for even thinking the evil woman would be merciful.

"I'm giving you one more chance, Jadeite. Sailor Moon and her two little friends must be eliminated. If you fail, the punishment is Eternal Sleep."

Jadeite shuddered at the thought of such a dreadful sentence. Just the mere thought of it made him want to commit suicide or die a gruesome death to spare himself the humiliation. He bit back a gulp, realizing this was it for him and he had to somehow come up with a foolproof scheme to destroy his enemies. _‘I don’t know how, but I’m going to if it’s the last thing I do, even if I sacrifice myself in the process.’_ He merely drowned out the giggles and whispers he heard among the underlings, instead keeping his eyes on his master. _‘Let those foolish youma guffaw all they want. When I win, **I **will be the one getting the last laugh.’ _ He had to resist the urge to shoot them a sneer.

"I wish you success Jadeite…for the punishment of Eternal Sleep condemns you for the most profound darkness...forever!" The last word was uttered in such a dramatic sinister tone that it sent a shiver down the young man’s spine, which he barely managed to suppress.

“Y-Yes, Queen Beryl-sama. I understand,” responded Jadeite. He placed a clenched fist across his chest and gave a respectful bow before teleporting away.

**********

Nephrite's trio of henchwomen had made themselves invisible before appearing in the palace to witness Jadeite’s scathing rebuke. They had to bite their lips to keep from bursting into laughter at seeing the blonde sweat. The news about Jadeite’s time running out made them beam with delight, enough to ignore the discomfort they felt being among the other youma or even the queasiness at the very sight of Beryl.

"Just as I thought. It won't be long now," Ruby whispered to Yukari.

"Yeah. It's about time. For awhile, I was worried we would have to wait forever. I mean, how many times has Beryl warned this joker not to fail her?" Yukari whispered back.

Ruby snorted, making sure to keep it muffled. "You don't have to remind me. While Beryl has been known to make empty threats in the past, something tells me she means it this time.”

“Agreed,” Miki spoke up. “If not the countless failures, using Thetis and then getting her killed most definitely sealed Jadeite’s fate. I must say giving Jadeite this last chance instead of handing the reins to Master Nephrite was a foolish move, but I’ve learned not to expect too much.”

Yukari nodded. “You said it, sister,” she agreed, making sure to keep her tone hushed. “I’m trying my hardest to remain patient, but I still can’t help but wonder what she’s waiting for. Just kill him already.”

Miki gave her twin an understanding look. She knew waiting was hardest for her, so she wasn’t surprised. _‘To be honest, I can’t say I blame her.’_

Ruby smoothed down her dress. “Yes, I know what you mean. However, I kept reminding myself his luck is bound to run out sooner or later, and that gave me reassurance.”

Yukari looked thoughtful. “You’re right. Now that we’ve found out what we needed to know, let’s get going, shall we? I don’t want to be in this place longer than I must.” 

The other two youma nodded their agreement, not liking the palace any better than their comrade did. Plus, there was the issue of having to keep their voices to a whisper, lest they would be discovered. _‘We’ve come too far to have our cover be blown.’ _They disappeared from the palace and rematerialized back to the planetarium.

_‘Huh?’ _Nephrite had been doing some meditating whilst the young women were gone. Sensing their presence, he turned to face them. "What is it you have to report?" he asked.

Yukari’s eyes brightened as she responded, "Beryl is giving that hack Jadeite one more chance, and if he fails, he will be sentenced to Eternal Sleep.”

Nephrite furrowed his brow and put on a nonchalant expression. "I see…so he was able to buy himself some time with the love energy he gathered. Not that it will do him any good." His lips curled up slightly and it took everything in him to suppress a chuckle as he pictured Jadeite being trapped inside a giant crystal. _‘A rather amusing sight, but it is also a reminder to **me **of what will happen should I fail…which I don’t intend to. I can use this extra time to perfect my strategy so I will be fully prepared. Hmhmhm.’ _

“Well then, let’s see how the amateur plans to pull himself out of _this._” Yukari conjured her crystal ball and instantaneously it revealed an image of Earth. Ruby and Miki came a bit closer so they could also observe. They awaited the events with baited breath.

Still wide awake, Usagi knelt in front of her open window, stargazing. Luna was beside her, watching her intently.

The blonde senshi released a blissful sigh as she felt a light breeze blowing on the nape of her neck. She gasped when she recognized several constellations. “There’s Cygnus, Sagittarius, Libra…oh, and I see Motoki as well as Tuxedo Kamen!” Her cheeks turned bright red and she felt like she would melt into a puddle. “This is amazing!” She placed her face in her hands and let out a giggle. “Look at me…head over heels in love with two guys at the same time. Why can’t I choose??”

Luna heaved a heavy sigh before yawning, all the while resisting the urge to roll her eyes. “Oh, Usagi-chan…mere crushes are fleeting. They can disappear just as quickly as you feel them. Besides, I doubt those young men are giving you much of a thought.”

Usagi simply waved the feline guardian off, refusing to allow her joy to be stolen. “Yeah, yeah,” she dragged. Her eyes brightened as she continued, “My problems would be solved if they were combined into one…like if Motoki-san was Tuxedo Kamen. That would be so awesome!” Her heart raced as she imagined the blonde young man dressed in her rescuer’s trademark garb.

All of a sudden, ribbons of smoke swirled around in the night sky, forming an image of…Jadeite. The chill in the room, along with the sinister vibe captured the attention of Luna and Usagi. Luna’s tail rattled and her teeth chattered. Usagi’s blissful feelings disappeared. She felt shivers going down her spine, particularly when she noted her arch-enemy’s cold, hardened blue eyes. _‘Sheesh, so creepy for someone who was so handsome in disguise. This can’t be good.’_

Jadeite smirked upon noticing the fear in his spectators’ eyes. "I am Jadeite, one of the four kings of heaven! I issue a challenge to Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Mars! Meet me at the Haneda Airport tomorrow night at 1:00 AM! Be prepared to lose! If you are thinking about declining this challenge, think again!" The blonde shitennou created an illusion of the city before shooting down a fireball from his mouth at it, causing the young girl as well as Luna to grimace and cry out.

“You monster!” accused Luna.

Jadeite gave another evil smirk and then snapped his fingers. “Not to worry, that was only an illusion. But if you _don't _show up, I will burn this city to ashes, destroying everyone along with it! And trust me, it will be for real!" With that, he unleashed a cruel laugh and faded away._ ‘This time I will succeed for sure.’_ He gave a cocky grin, feeling proud of himself for coming up with a complex scheme on his own terms despite the slight fear that arose within him. _‘Focus, Jadeite. There will be no youma involved, and you are far more powerful than the senshi combined,’ _said a voice in his head.

Nephrite's trio of youma stared agape whilst watching the blonde man issue his challenge. Despite being aware of the amount of malice he possessed, they had never seen him show it on quite a level before.

Miki let out a soft whistle once the image in Yukari’s crystal ball faded. “Wow. Talk about ambitious. Although I am curious to see just how he plans to destroy those girls at an airport, I still have to say what he plans to do if they don’t show up is elaborate, especially for him.”

Ruby let out a cynical huff, clearly unimpressed. “So he came up with a back-up plan, big deal. It’s about time. However, it’s a little too late for that.”

Miki nodded. “Indeed…but oh well.”

"Oh well is correct,” Yukari piped up. “To think it took him this long to become desperate. While it may be enough to motivate him to come up with something destructive, successfully _executing_ the plan is an entirely different kettle of fish. Not that it matters, since Master Nephrite will have his job in the end."

“You got that right,” agreed Ruby. “I mean, if Jadeite was smart, he would have gone with plan B from the outset, which would destroy the entire universe in one swoop. Then again, it just goes to show he is unfit for the job.”

“Yes. It’s a total travesty the poor fool won’t be around to see how gathering energy is really done,” said Yukari, before muttering under her breath, “Not.” Her disdainful look turned into a purposeful one. _‘I’ve waited a long time for this to happen, so if Jadeite actually succeeds, I will be pissed.’_

Nephrite listened to his youma make disparaging remarks about his underdog adversary, and he couldn’t help smiling. He knew how strongly they felt, especially Yukari. He couldn’t say he blamed her, but opted to make use of what good came from it. “Well, girls, all what is left to do is continue observing the events as they unfold. Witnessing his failure will be a lesson on how to succeed.”

Yukari rubbed the bridge of her nose before looking serious. “You’re right, sir. I, for one can hardly wait.”

Not long after the challenge, Usagi and Luna headed over to the Hikawa Shrine for a meeting. Ordinarily it took pulling teeth to drag the blonde out late at night, but the eerie feelings left her unable to fall asleep. _'I have a feeling I'll have a hard time getting up in the morning…and it’s all Jadeite’s fault. Oh, is he gonna pay!'_

Luna faced all three girls with a grim expression on her face, capturing their attention. “Jadeite will hold true to his promise to burn the city if you girls don’t show up. You cannot allow that to happen," she told them.

With the trouble caused during the time the sinister young man worked at the shrine still fresh on her mind, Rei clenched one of her fists and punched the palm of her hand as if to show how pumped she was. “That’s right. We have to answer to Jadeite's evil challenge." She scowled as his smug face appeared in her mind. _‘He’s demented if he thinks we’ll let him get off easy.’_

Ami looked worried at Rei’s reaction, for she knew how rash and hasty the raven-haired teen could be. "While I do agree we can’t let him hurt millions of innocent people and he must be punished for his evil deeds, we can’t take that chance. We could be walking into a trap, and we don’t know what we’re up against. We need a strategy before we can even _think _about taking him down."

Rei pressed her lips together as she considered Ami’s argument. During the time she got to know the ice senshi, she realized the blue haired teen was a strategist, as opposed to acting impulsively. "I know it’s a trap and he’s a powerful foe, but we can’t let that stop us. The stakes are higher than usual. A plan would most definitely help, but he’s not giving us much time. We’ll just have to take whatever he throws at us and counter it."

Luna nodded to show she understood both girls’ points. She then glanced at Usagi, who was quiet and had a conflicting expression on her face. "What do you think, Usagi?"

"You agree that we must fight him, don't you?" Rei pressed.

The goofy blonde hesitated and grimaced, showing how torn she was about the entire situation. While she did want to get her hands on the villain, the one occasion where she tried to take him on and was sorely outmatched still haunted her memories. _‘Not to mention all this pressure isn’t helping. How do I explain my fears without Rei and Luna yelling at me for being a coward?’_

"Not without preparing first," Ami cut in. "If we foolishly rush into this battle without a good plan, our defeat will be inevitable."

Usagi rested her hand on the back of her head and started giggling nervously in an attempt to mask her fear. "Us fight Jadeite? Are you crazy? He'd blast us to the next millennium before we could throw the first blow."

Luna and Rei groaned at the blonde’s cowardice and nearly keeled over whilst Ami looked stone-faced. Rei drew in a deep breath to berate Usagi for her selfishness, but Ami put a hand up for calm, prompting the fire senshi to remain silent.

Ami then turned to Usagi, placing a hand on her shoulder, which relaxed her a bit. “Listen, Usagi-chan,” she began in a firm, but gentle tone. “I know you’re afraid of defeat, and so am I. However, I am not saying we should back down. The stakes are far too high for that. I am merely saying we must plan for the worst. Also, we will have to be on the same page and work together. Our combined forces will be sufficient to defeat this evil.”

Usagi got a contemplative expression on her delicate features as the ice senshi’s words sunk in. She couldn’t argue, because deep down she knew Ami spoke truth. Not to mention her patient, reassuring tone eased her anxiety a tad. _‘Then again, she’s not a cranky nag like Rei is, but like a nurturing mother. Oh, she would make such a good mom one day.’_ She nodded whilst allowing a hint of a smile to escape. “You’re right. Thanks, Ami-chan. Let’s do this!”

Ami chuckled lightly at the blonde’s increasing enthusiasm, relieved to see it had returned. “Not at all. That’s the spirit.”

(next morning)

The image of Jadeite appearing in the sky made headlines in every news outlet. The television played in the background of the Tsukino residence. _"The origin of the image that appeared last night is unknown. While it may very well be a hoax, the threat is very serious, and so tonight there will be policemen stationed near the airport as a precaution,"_ reported a male voice.

Kenji and Ikuko sat at the dining table, drinking coffee whilst Shingo nibbled on a jelly-bun. The couple glanced up from their coffee mugs to exchange a grim look, unsure what to make of the situation.

“Over and over I keep hearing about these sailor senshi, but I had never given them much thought,” said Kenji. “At the same time, I do know there are things in life that are unexplainable and just can’t be a coincidence.”

Ikuko nodded. “I concur. In the past I would have written off this image as a hoax, but the threat is far too detrimental for that.” She picked up her coffee mug and took another sip.

Shingo took a sip of orange juice before turning to his parents. “Come on, Mom and Dad, it’s gonna be okay. Sure, that guy is creepy, but he’s got nothing on the senshi. They’re totally gonna kick his butt. I just know it. “

A look of mild surprise crossed Kenji's features, but only for a moment, as he and his wife knew ever since the first time Shingo heard of the senshi, he regarded them as his idols. “Well, son, you are sure optimistic,” he said with a chuckle. His amusement was then replaced by a solemn look before the young boy could respond. “In that case, I hope they succeed.”

“So do I,” chimed Ikuko, wringing her hands.

All of a sudden, there was a loud wail coming from upstairs…one that sounded all too familiar. Kenji and Ikuko sighed, wondering what the problem was this time. Shingo rolled his eyes.

Usagi came running down the stairs as if she were a chicken with her head cut off, only stopping to grab a jelly bun and her lunch satchel. "I’m late I’m late I’m late! See you later!" she called over her shoulder before racing out the door. Shingo could only shake his head in embarrassment. _'That girl sure is hopeless.’_

Usagi sprinted to school as fast as her legs would carry her. She already had detention twice that month for her tardiness and she didn't want another one, even though it would be a picnic compared to the ordeal she had to face later. _‘I don’t know how we’re gonna do this, but we have to somehow. In the meantime, I have to make sure I stay awake in class. I barely slept a wink last night.’_

By the time the blonde arrived at school, she was out of breath, and her legs felt as if they had been poked with a thousand needles. She stifled a yawn whilst making her way to her classroom. Just as she raced inside, she heard the sound of the bell. _‘Whew! I made it!’_ She breathed a loud sigh of relief and turned to face her classmates with the brightest smile she could muster. “Good morning everyone.”

"Morning, Usagi-chan."

“I see you made it even before Ms. Haruna this morning,” commented Naru, sounding both impressed and amazed.

Usagi shot her friend a wide proud-of-herself grin. “I know right? Still cut it pretty close, but I made it.”

“Yes, and that’s what is most important.”

At that moment Ms. Haruna burst into the classroom, looking cheerful and unfazed by the events from the previous night. Her cheerful expression turned into surprise to see Usagi had already arrived. _‘What’s this? Ms. Tsukino actually beat me? Is the world really coming to an end?’_ Instead of voicing her astonishment, she settled for giving the blonde a look of approval. "Good morning, my students."

"Good morning Miss H."

Naru redirected her attention to her best friend. "So Usagi-chan, what do you make of the news about that man threatening the senshi?" she asked, getting a slightly pensive expression on her face. She placed a finger on her chin and frowned slightly, noticing he had looked familiar. _‘I have to say, though, I don’t remember him being so vicious.’_

For a moment Usagi looked taken aback at being put on the spot. She didn't want her classmates to know she was actually one of the senshi who was being threatened. She quickly thought of a response that wouldn’t give away her identity. “The man sure is creepy...the senshi will have to be ready for anything," she answered with a sheepish look.

"It must have been one of those holograms you see in a haunted house," a girl with very short red hair remarked.

"No way, guys. It's aliens from outer space. I know it! They're gonna wipe out the human race for corrupting the planet,” piped up Umino, his voice filled with dread. He felt chills going down his spine at the thought.

Naru groaned and rolled her eyes. Sometimes the boy’s nerdiness made her want to die of embarrassment. She shot him a withering glance before scoffing, “Umino…do you honestly think someone as cruel as he is would care about that? You read too many third-rate science fiction manga. Get a life, would ya!"

"Why don't we go to the airport together to see if this guy is for real?" suggested another girl.

Such a suggestion produced an uneasy feeling in Usagi’s chest. She hated the idea of her friends being caught in the battle. To prevent blowing her cover, she simply waved her hands and quipped, "Not a good idea."

Ms. Haruna had a look of horror on her face, unable to believe her students would even _think _of gambling with their lives in that manner. "Are you kids insane? You could be hurt or killed! You should stay home where you'll be safe and sound!"

"That's right," agreed Usagi. "Listen to Ms. Haruna, she's telling the truth."

Naru blinked in surprise at the sudden change of tone. She never thought she would live to see the day her goofy friend agreed with the teacher. _‘In fact, she’s never serious unless something is desperately wrong.’_ She tilted her head. "Usagi-chan…?"

"It's very dangerous," the blonde continued.

Umino looked stunned as well, eyeing Usagi up and down. "What's up, Usagi-chan? Is there something you know about this you're keeping from us?"

"No, don't be silly. A dumpling head like me would _never _know anything about an alien threatening the senshi. It's just that this situation is not meant to be taken as a joke. And anyway, if you guys have so much free time on your hands, then you should stay at home and study!"

Ms. Haruna was silent throughout the entire discourse, her mouth hanging open in utter amazement as she clearly didn’t expect the blonde to agree with her. _‘It **is **refreshing to see when one considers she is usually a slacker, but still.’_ She shut it and wandered over to Usagi. "Ms. Tsukino, are you feeling all right? Have you come down with the flu?" Resting a hand on the perplexed teen’s forehead, she drew her lips in a line to find it was still cool…no fever. “Is something troubling you? This is the first time you have spoken sensibly.”

Usagi looked as if she had been punched in the stomach. Tears stung at the corners of her eyes, as she felt insulted by everyone questioning her for being serious for once. _‘I don’t get it. Ms. H generally yells at me for goofing off.’_ Swallowing a lump in her throat, she protested, “Are you trying to say I’m not supposed to be concerned about this situation? I have just as much right as anyone else to show my serious side! I’m a human just like you!" She burst into tears, making her classmates give looks that read, _‘Uh-oh.’_

Sniffling, Usagi wandered over to her desk, rested her bag down and slumped down in her chair before resting her head on top of her desk to muffle her sobs. _‘This is gonna be the worst day ever. I can’t wait for it to end.’_

Nephrite sensed Beryl summoning him. Not wanting to keep her waiting, he promptly teleported to her throne room, bowing respectfully. His trio of youma appeared as well, and gave a respectful curtsey. He looked mildly surprised that his youma had followed him, knowing how much they despised the queen.

The henchwomen put on their best attentive looks as they awaited Beryl’s address to the star shitennou. As much as they detested the very sight of the evil woman, they were almost able to tolerate her presence a bit more since they were accompanying their master.

The nefarious queen smiled one of her wicked smiles. "Well, Nephrite, I am sure you are aware of the fact that I have given Jadeite one more chance to prove himself."

“Yes, Queen-Beryl-sama,” responded Nephrite as he placed a hand on his hip and looked the witch queen directly in the eye, waiting for her to continue.

"And I trust that you're ready to take over. Based on your many trips to Earth, you and your youma must be well prepared."

"Yes, your majesty." Nephrite managed to suppress a shudder at the possibility of Beryl discovering he had returned to consuming human food and her accusing him of treason for it. Although he knew she would at the time he made the decision, he didn’t regret it, and why should he? The idea of nursing digestive disorders for the remainder of his life didn’t appeal to him.

Beryl's facial expression grew serious. "Just in case Jadeite fails to defeat those meddlesome brats, you and your youma are to remain here. Am I clear?"

Nephrite realized Beryl must have wanted him in her throne room for when she announced him as the new commander. Since he was absolutely positive the younger shitennou would fail, he had no qualms complying, especially if it meant he would witness the punishment. He gave another respectful bow. “I understand.”

The trio of henchwomen’s eyes filled with glee and excitement at being able to witness Jadeite cower in fear, as well as his imminent sentence, not to mention sharing their master’s glory. _‘It’s been a long time coming,’_ mused Yukari, flicking a ringlet off her shoulder.

(airport-midnight)

Jadeite emerged from the shadows atop the building to begin making preparations for his final battle with his enemies. His lips spread into a sneer upon noticing the police and security guards stationed nearby. _'They must be here to try and protect those stupid girls from me…well, sadly that is not going to happen.' _He emitted several energy ribbons at the police officers and security, causing them to collapse and fall into a deep sleep.

The blonde shitennou gave an evil chuckle. "Those cops will help me whether they wish to or not,” he mused aloud. He chuckled again as he went to make more preparations, the excitement about his upcoming battle surging through him. _‘Those miserable little girls will not leave the airport alive. I will present their corpses to Queen Beryl._ _Nothing can possibly go wrong this time.’_

Luna, Usagi, Ami and Rei proceeded to make their way to the station, opting to be early just in case they had to thwart some traps, which they counted on. Usagi, however, felt her energy being depleted, and began to lag behind.

"Don't be a slowpoke, Usagi! Keep up with us or we’ll leave you behind!" Rei chided the blonde.

"Okay, okay!" Usagi sped up a bit, not wanting to get into it with the raven-haired teen. Not when she was so beat and peeved from her day at school. _‘Hopefully I’ll be able to take my anger out on Jadeite…if he doesn’t kill us first, that is.’_

The three girls searched around for a train to catch, only to see that the station appeared vacant. Usagi’s eyes bulged out in panic at this whilst her friends looked grim.

"What do we do?" fretted the moon senshi. "We were too late to catch even the last train! How are we supposed to fight Jadeite now???!" The last word came out as a wail.

Rei gave the blonde a warning look. She was already not in the best of moods that night, and Usagi's pessimism wasn't helping matters. However, she breathed through her nostrils to control her temper. "Hmm...can we afford a taxi?" she pondered aloud.

All of a sudden, a train pulled up in front of the girls and the doors slid open. Usagi heaved a sigh of relief and had to resist the urge to give a yell for joy, oblivious to the fact that it was a part of Jadeite's lure.

Rei set her mouth in a line, but an amused smile threatened to escape for the first time that night. “It looks like Jadeite was kind enough to send us a private train. Let's accept his generosity," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Her tone was so no-nonsense that left very little room for questioning. She stepped on, and her friends followed her, the door closing afterwards.

Luna frowned at the shitennou’s “generosity”. The timing seemed almost _too _convenient for the girls’ dilemma to be solved, especially when it appeared the trains had long stopped running. "I have a feeling Jadeite is leading us into a trap," she said.

The three girls were silent throughout the entire train ride, each of them looking meditative as Luna’s voice filled their ears. They all got knots in their stomachs, their blood ran cold, their hearts pounded and their stomachs did flip flops at the uncertainty of what might be in store for them. Usagi was too paralyzed with fear to panic at Luna’s words. _‘Please, please just let luck be on our side.’_

The train arrived at the airport. As soon as the door slid open, the senshi got off. _'Okay Jadeite, let's get this over with,' _thought Rei, her eyes hardening. She and the other girls gazed around, absorbing their surroundings. Their eyes became wide as saucers at the disturbing sight before them. Deep frowns crossed their features when they saw all the policemen on the ground, fast asleep.

"Something doesn't seem right here," commented Ami. “Why would the policemen be sleeping if they’re supposed to be keeping watch for suspicious activity?” Her frown turned into a grave expression as a possibility hit her. _‘This has to be Jadeite’s doing. He has sure been busy.’_

"I know right?" agreed Usagi. “Weird.”

Suddenly, the comatose policemen awoke, except they were not their protective selves. They growled deep within their throats. The senshi heard the noise and released terrified gasps, especially when one of them took out a rifle. Rei kicked the possessed cop and started running, with Ami and Usagi close behind.

"What's going on? This isn’t fair!" whined Usagi.

Rei let out an irritated sigh, becoming weary of the blonde’s complaining. "Quit your sniveling and keep up, would ya!"

Usagi pretended not to hear the fire senshi. "Evil policemen? What's up with that? They're the ones who are supposed to be protecting us!"

The three superheroines continued running, only to realize the possessed cops were hot on their heels. Suddenly the girls came to a stop, Ami turning to face the cops with a glare. "That’s enough! Mercury Power, Make Up!"

Rei’s eyes brightened at the blue-haired teen’s quick thinking. "Awesome idea, Mercury!” She then put her game face on. “Mars Power, Make Up!"

Usagi looked dismayed at her friends transforming before her. "Why is it that I’m always the last one to think of these things??” Before Luna or Mars could scold her again, she blared, “Moon Prism Power, Make Up!"

The senshi stood in their combative poses, ready for action. Mercury placed a finger on her forehead, making her VR Visor appear to cover her eyes. She scanned the cops for weaknesses, her eyes widening in amazement upon noticing how different they were from the other youma. “These cops aren’t human. They’re nothing but clay golems!”

“Clay monsters,” the fire senshi murmured. A wide grin spread across her lips as she knew clay was susceptible to fire. "Leave this to me! Fire Soul!" A fireball swirled towards the policemen, reducing them to ashes.

"Good work, Mars!" Mercury congratulated the senshi of fire. "You figured out the youma's weakness."

"They were just imposters," said Luna.

Moon forgot about her trepidation and gave the raven haired senshi an impressed grin, followed by a thumbs up sign. "Way to go Mars! You rock!"

Mars shot the moon senshi a cocky smile, flattered by her praise, although she wouldn’t outwardly tell her so. "I do, don't I?" She chuckled a bit, but before the blonde senshi could cheerfully retort something, the girls were interrupted by familiar diabolical laughter, causing their heads to snap up sharply. There stood Jadeite, staring down at them. He eyed each of them with pure contempt, resentful of the fact that such weak girls had foiled his plans so many times. _‘Well, that ends here and now.’_

"Hello Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Mars!” the blonde shitennou greeted mockingly. “I have led you silly girls deep within my trap.”

"I guess we have no choice but to go through with this," whimpered Sailor Moon, barely holding back a shiver. She smacked her left hand when she felt it beginning to tremble. _‘Must be brave and don’t give this jerk the satisfaction.’_

However, Jadeite saw the fear in Moon’s eyes. He smirked at her before focusing his attention on all three girls. "You girls are so young. It's a shame you will be sent to an early grave," he taunted with false pity.

Sailor Moon let out a horrified gasp, not liking the sound of that at all. The thought of dying before having her dreams come true was too much for her to bear. "No way…someone as young and as beautiful as me has to live a long life. I have a lot to accomplish!"

Mars eyed the blonde as if she had grown an extra head. "You're not talking about yourself, are you?"

It was Moon’s turn to give a strange look. "Why, of course I am. I am easily the prettiest of the three.”

"Ah, and what's your best feature?" asked the raven haired senshi, doing her best to suppress a tickling feeling in her stomach.

"My face, just check out this beautiful nose," the moon senshi responded.

Sailor Mars couldn’t hold it in any longer. She burst out laughing. “You’re such a comedian, dumpling head! My beauty surpasses yours by a long shot!"

"Does not!"

Mercury rubbed her forehead, growing weary of the petty bickering. She stepped between Moon and Mars, pushing them apart. "Get a grip you two! Now is not the time to argue!" she told her friends in an authoritative tone.

The two girls immediately fell silent, looking sheepish and ashamed of themselves for allowing themselves to get side-tracked in front of their foe. They didn’t know what they would do without Mercury being the voice of reason. “You’re right. Sorry,” they said in unison.

"If we're going to defeat Jadeite, we must stick together," the ice senshi continued.

Jadeite heaved an annoyed sigh at the chatter going on. He was beyond ready to destroy the girls once and for all. "Enough chit-chat! It's time for battle."

"Yes, that was the most sensible thing you've said all night!" Mars retorted, glaring daggers at the blonde young man.

Jadeite gave a sinister grin in response. He then emitted telekinesis powers from his hands at the plane in front of him, along with two others, causing them to rise off the ground and soar towards the senshi.

Realizing what Jadeite’s intention was, horror filled the senshi’s eyes and they proceeded to run, with Luna right behind them. They ran as fast as they could, but it was no use as the aircrafts only flew closer.

"We've got to find a way to stop these planes or we'll be crushed as flat as pancakes," stated Mercury.

"Maybe I'll use my fire power!" suggested Mars.

Luna’s eyes filled with worry. “No, don’t do it! If you blow up a jet, you will never be able to pay off the debt!”

Sailor Mars lowered her eyes and twisted her mouth to the side. Aside from that, she knew there was the possibility she would be sent to juvenile detention or federal prison for destruction of property. “You’re right. It would probably be easy for a millionaire, but I don’t see me ever becoming one.”

Sailor Mercury wrinkled her brow in thought. “Well, in that case, the only thing we can do for now is run for our lives!"

The three senshi continued running. They kept it up, slowing down when they saw they were almost at the end of the runway and near the ocean. "Oh no…we're done for!" Sailor Moon wailed. The fact that her legs were sore did not help matters.

Jadeite laughed. "Parting is such sweet sorrow, little girls." At that moment, a red rose hit the ground like an arrow, stopping the jets in their tracks.

The senshi heaved huge sighs of relief, not only at the fact that the airplanes stopped, but to see the red rose as they knew it meant Tuxedo Kamen had come to their rescue. "Tuxedo Kamen, you’re here just in the nick of time!” the girls chorused. Red hearts popped out of the eyes of Moon and Mars.

"Still picking on young girls?" asked the masked man. He despised bullies very much.

Jadeite clenched his teeth and let out a growl, furious about the interruption._ ‘This stupid fool is going to pay dearly.’_ His angry expression turned into an evil grin as he thought of a way to use the setback to his advantage. _‘Hmm…_ _if I can defeat the senshi and their little male friend, Beryl would be more than pleased_._’ _He shot the caped hero a malicious smirk. "How nice to see you, Tuxedo Kamen. You’ve arrived just in time to watch your little friends suffer. If you don't leave this battle at once, you, too, will die!"

"Not likely!" The masked man turned to the three warriors of justice. "Sailor Senshi, I want you three to listen carefully to what I have to say."

Sailor Moon had to pinch herself to keep from getting starry-eyed. “What is it, my masked man?" she asked, her eyes full of curiosity.

"You must not lose faith! You can defeat Jadeite if you work together! When you combine your forces, there is no foe you can’t defeat! Remember that!" With that, Tuxedo Kamen disappeared.

“Hey, wait!” Sailor Moon called after the caped hero. She released a soft sigh, wishing the ebony-haired young man had at least remained long enough for her to thank him. In spite of that, determination arose in the girls and made it onto their features as Tuxedo Kamen’s words gave them a clue on how to defeat the shitennou.


	2. Chapter 2

For the longest time, it had been mindboggling for Jadeite to have his plans constantly foiled by three young girls who were mere teenagers and so much weaker in strength, but as he watched the caped hero leave, a small grin formed on his lips as it was beginning to make sense. _‘Of course! How could I not have considered this possibility before? Every time all seems to be lost for the nosy senshi, he shows up.’_ His grin turned into a cynical smirk when he thought about how Tuxedo Kamen left instead of taking him on, unsure whether to call it wisdom or cowardice. _‘No matter. He’s not important. I can always take care of him after I dispose of these foolish girls.’_

Jadeite redirected his attention to the girls with a look of disdain on his features. "Just as I thought. You weak little girls are not warrior enough to defeat me without a man's assistance. Well this time, not even his ridiculous speech will be able to save you from meeting your demise!" He broke into uproarious laughter.

The girls looked as if smoke would arise from their ears. Sailor Mars clenched her fists and teeth, trembling with rage as her eyes narrowed. Not only did Jadeite take pleasure from seeing the innocent suffer for his own twisted enjoyment, but he was sexist, too, which she found to be a very ugly combination. _‘Oh, I could just rearrange that smug face of his right now!’ _

Sailor Mercury exchanged a gaze with the blonde young man, her eyes filled with righteous anger. "That's where you're wrong, Jadeite," she said in a quiet voice.

"Yeah, people like you never win!" chimed Moon.

Sailor Mars shot Jadeite a scathing glare as she declared, "We'll show you what a couple of girls can do!"

“Let’s take out this misogynist prick together!” the senshi blared simultaneously before combining their hands.

Jadeite let out a derisive huff. As far as he was concerned, the senshi were all talk. "Your idle threats do not faze me! Behold my power!" Thrusting out his hands again, he zapped one of the planes, causing it to take off and head towards the senshi.

The fierce expressions disappeared from the girls’ faces, replaced by fear upon realizing they were being chased again and had a long way to go before they would be completely out of the woods. "Come on, guys! Run!" the senshi of fire yelled, breaking into a sprint herself.

Wasting no time at all, Moon and Mercury scurried out of the plane’s trajectory, which was proving to become tiresome as they knew the runway only had so much space. Not to mention they were beginning to become breathless and to say their legs were weary would be an understatement. _‘We can’t keep going on like this,’ _thought Mercury. Tuxedo Kamen’s words still rung in her mind, as they matched what she had been telling her fellow senshi all along. _‘I know there is a way. The question is how? And whatever it is, we must do it right, especially when it comes to the timing. Timing is everything.’_

Luna knew emotions could sometimes cloud one’s ability to think clearly, but it pained her to see the girls so frantic and helpless all the same. “Don’t be fooled by that jet! Remember, our true enemy is Jadeite!” she reminded them.

At those words, the senshi stopped in their tracks, took several deep breaths to calm themselves and shook out their legs a bit.

"I know. As a matter of fact, I have an idea,” said Sailor Mars, the corner of her lips curling up slightly.

“Huh?” Moon and Mercury looked interested as they turned to the raven-haired senshi. Those were just the words they had been waiting to hear. _‘After all, we need all the ideas we can get if we are going to defeat someone as powerful as Jadeite.’_ Sailor Moon gave her a curious smile. "What is it, Mars?" she asked.

Mars’ smiled back, although it was an “I’m glad you asked” type. "Well it starts with you. Divert the jet. You be the decoy."

Sailor Moon’s smile faltered and transformed into a look of chagrin. "Wait! Why does it have to be me?" she protested. She gasped in horror when she saw the plane coming after her, then turned and ran without waiting for a response. Huffing and puffing, she was becoming weary of this, not to mention her legs felt as if they would fall off. _‘I hope this plan, whatever it is, comes clear to me soon. It’s not fair to be treated like a guinea pig.’_

Having heard Mars’ instructions to Moon, Mercury knew this was her cue to distract the shitennou. "Shabon Spray!"

The barrage of the ice senshi’s bubbles created a massive fog and a decrease in temperature, causing Jadeite to shiver. He clenched his teeth to keep them from chattering._ ‘This pathetic human is only delaying the inevitable._' He gazed around in search of the senshi, frowning when he noticed they were nowhere in sight. "What the hell? I can't see a thing."

“Over here, Jadeite!” Mercury called as she revealed herself.

Jadeite sneered at the ice senshi. "It will take more than a mere fog to defeat me! If that’s your worst then it’s all over for you!" He zapped one of the other planes to send after her and then gave a maniacal laugh, oblivious to the fact that Sailor Mars was sneaking up on him.

The fire senshi closed her eyes as if entering a meditative state, holding an anti-evil scroll. "Rin, pyou, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, sai, zen. Akuryou taisan!" she chanted, throwing the odufa onto the shitennou’s back.

Jadeite frowned when he felt something on his back. He cursed under his breath, annoyed with himself for not being able to sense Mars’ presence so he could dodge her assault. A scowl crossed his features at the fact that she had the nerve to ambush him. _‘Curse that impudent brat!’ _ His scowl turned into a look of horror when he peered over his shoulder to see the planes had altered direction and were now headed for him. "What’s going on? “ It was now _his _turn to start running. “Why are they coming after me?"

The young man continued to run, freezing in shock when he came face to face with the three senshi. _‘I can’t believe this! I had them in the palm of my hand! This has to be a nightmare!’ _ As much as he wanted to convince himself he was only dreaming of the worst-case scenario, the girls’ cold stares said otherwise. For the first time during his tenure, all he could do was stare back at them with a stunned expression on his face.

"You've underestimated us, Jadeite! Our combined strength is stronger than your evil!" said Moon.

Overcome by shock, all the condescending remarks Jadeite was known to make had escaped him. It was as if the experience had humbled him. "Tell me how you did this to me."

"You were blinded by your arrogance and sexism," answered Mars.

"That's right," Mercury agreed. "You have fallen victim to your own trap, and that is the price you have to pay for your evil deeds."

Sailor Moon had the urge to gloat and do a happy dance at the fact that she and her friends had Jadeite cornered, but knew it was not the place or time. "You had been using your powers for evil, and for that you must be punished! I am just the one to do it!" She took off her tiara and tossed it. “Moon Tiara Action!”

Jadeite cringed, knowing he was in for it now. He watched with a horrified expression as the frisbee weapon hurtled towards him. Despite dodging it as best as he could, he still felt half of its impact. Too weakened to avoid the plane, its wheels hit his back, putting a hole in his jacket and shirt. He let out a scream of agony before collapsing.

The blonde shitennou laid on the ground, groaning softly. He felt blood pouring from his wounds, but he merely ignored it. Although his back and face hurt terribly, the physical pain was nothing compared to the blow to his ego at having suffered such a humiliating defeat from a trio of teenagers yet again. _‘It’s ridiculous. Their powers are measly in comparison to mine! Could I have underestimated their combined forces and overestimated the darkness all along? No, I refuse to accept that!’ _ Nevertheless, he knew he was in for Beryl's wrath since her decision had been final and absolute. He had also witnessed her showing a forgiving side as well, which filled him with a smidge of hope. Wracking his brain for a way to escape his fate, his lips quirked up slightly as he recalled the iota of information he discovered about the senshi just before the battle. _‘Perhaps if I reveal it to her, she will spare me. After all, it’s very useful even if she makes me resign afterwards.’_

The senshi and Luna stood still, eyeing their foe’s weakened state with a mixture of emotions spiraling through them. The most dominant were anger, triumph and apathy, but also a tinge of pity. While the latter seemed ridiculous, it had never been in their nature to gloat over someone’s distress, not even that of their worst enemies’. Sailor Moon clenched her fists, grimacing as she wrestled with the conflicting emotions inside her. Unable to stand it any longer, she raced over to the fallen general.

A look of horror appeared on Luna’s face at this. “Sailor Moon, no!” The words left her mouth too late, however, for the superheroine was already kneeling next to Jadeite and turning him over. 

Mars’ eyes widened in disbelief, gobsmacked that the moon senshi was treating their enemy as if she were considering befriending him. “What do you think you’re doing?! We may have defeated him, but he’s still evil! He could be plotting a way to get revenge!”

Mercury placed a finger to her lips. “Shhhh, Mars, calm down and just let her be. You don’t know what’s going on in either of their minds.”

Mars opened her mouth to protest, but clamped it shut and tightly folded her arms. “Fine,” she responded through gritted teeth, obviously displeased at having been stopped. _‘Her stubbornness will land her in jeopardy sooner or later.’ _

Sailor Moon appeared undeterred by the raven haired senshi’s rants, gently turning Jadeite over. _‘She could never understand!’ _Stirring a bit, the young man’s blue orbs fluttered open. A look of surprise appeared on his features to see he was being held up by one of his greatest enemies, especially when he saw her eyes were filled with compassion. Moon drew in a deep breath as she chose her words carefully. "Jadeite, if you surrender, we will consider forgiving you and helping you begin on the right path.”

Mars, Mercury and Luna looked relieved once they understood the reasoning behind the blonde senshi’s actions. They knew she had the propensity for being gullible and overly trusting at times, but they had never heard her give such heartfelt utterances before.

Jadeite flinched as if it literally caused him pain to hear the word. Under normal circumstances he generally scoffed at the idea since he hated to lose. His face turned a shade of green at the idea of living among the human race. _‘On the other hand, it sounds almost tempting as a way to escape Queen Beryl’s punishment.’ _Not to mention it wasn’t like he could go anywhere anyway. He was too badly wounded and simply didn't have enough energy to teleport. He let out a string of curses at his condition, which startled Moon so much that she nearly released her hold on him and keeled over. The iciness returned to his eyes. "My fate has already been decided, so spare me your pity. I am not worthy of it," he responded hoarsely. Apologizing and accepting assistance with pure motives had never been his strong suits.

Sailor Moon sighed. She had a feeling her work was cut out for her with getting through to the shitennou, but she did expect to make _some _progress. Still, she refused to give up. _‘Remember, he has been steeped in evil for eons,’_ a voice in her head reminded her. "That's not true, Jadeite."

A serious expression made its way onto Luna’s features as she felt the power of Moon’s determination. _‘So she believes in forgiveness and redemption…either can be seen as a blessing or a curse, depending on how far she is willing to go. I have a belief in both myself—if the individual wishes to make a change.’_ She glanced over at Mars and Mercury, who both had unreadable expressions on their faces. “Quite the turn of events, wouldn’t you say, girls?”

“Yes,” answered Sailor Mercury. “I am surprised, but I must say it is rather intriguing and admirable to see Sailor Moon take the higher road. After all, if Jadeite were to show remorse, harboring a grudge against him won’t make us any better than he had been, but just as bad.”

Mars let out a grunt, clearly having difficulties forgiving their foe. “Hmm. I suppose. However, _if_ is the operative word. Something tells me he won’t, and Sailor Moon is only wasting her time.”

Mercury wearily rubbed the bridge of her nose and then gazed up at the sky before facing the fire senshi again. She more or less expected the pessimism, but wanted her friend to see reason. “You don’t know that. Besides, if he had been acting on orders from his superior, there is no doubt he is facing severe punishment. Honestly, I feel being robbed of an opportunity to atone for his deeds is even worse.” She directed her attention to Jadeite. "You should take what little honor you have left and listen to Sailor Moon.”

"Yeah, and stop letting your master pull you like a dog on a leash," added Mars. There was a touch of grumpiness in her tone, showing her reluctance. _‘To be honest, I only agreed because what Mercury said makes sense. Still, it’s gonna take a lot for Jadeite to earn my trust.’_

Jadeite shut his eyes, blocking out the exchange between the two senshi as best as he could. Because he held the same sentiments as the fire senshi when she expressed her doubts, his expression remained stoic. He made a “hmm” sound, his eyes popping open in surprise at Sailor Mercury’s counterargument. As he replayed her words, he felt his frozen heart thawing ever so slightly, and he looked almost thoughtful at the fact that Moon was not alone in her mercy. _‘I have to admit I rather like Sailor Mars’ fiery spirit. I am willing to regard her as a worthy rival at least._’ He was about to respond, but before he could, a large sphere of dark energy surrounded him, plucking him out of the moon senshi’s grasp and transporting him away.

Sailor Moon let out a gasp, then a look of dismay crossed her features. “Oh no! He’s gone! What’s gonna happen to him now?” She wrapped her arms around herself, tears stinging at her eyes at the fact that she had come so close to convincing Jadeite to have a change of heart. She hung her head, not wanting her friends and Luna to see her disappointment.

Jadeite reappeared in Queen Beryl’s throne room, landing on his rear end with a loud thud. Rubbing the soreness away, he slowly rose to his feet, his legs wobbling as he did. He reached over to clutch his right arm to steady himself, and remained slightly hunched over. On top of his sore face and back, his head throbbed, which was also accompanied by nausea. _‘Aggravating, but the least of my worries.’ _ Mustering as much courage as possible, he glanced up at Beryl, mentally wincing at the fury in her eyes, and didn’t know whether to attribute it to his failure, near desertion, or both. _‘To think I nearly joined forces with those mortal girls. Pathetic.’ _ He suppressed a bitter laugh, annoyed with himself for showing his vulnerable side.

Nephrite tilted his head at the younger shitennou’s battered condition, an amused expression forming on his chiseled features. It was all he could do not to laugh at the bruises or the fact that Jadeite could barely stand, as he knew the same could happen to him if not careful. _‘Which I will be. However, I expected this end. Incompetent fool.’_

The trio of henchwomen had to bite their lips to keep from bursting out laughing, as they had done enough of it when he was run over by the jet, barely managing to keep it controlled.

“Oh dear…Jadeite has taken quite the beating from those little girls,” Ruby whispered to Miki as she rubbed her aching sides.

Miki chuckled lightly at the sarcasm in the red head youma’s voice as well as the scenario. “That he did. Seriously, though, it’s really quite pathetic. Although I question whether he has ever been trying, I have to say his chauvinistic remarks were the fuel for the senshi’s determination, and it was rather satisfying to watch,” she whispered back. She eyed the young man with an unsympathetic look. _'It's all over for you, Jadeite. Nothing will save you now. It's such a shame your most valiant effort wasn't good enough.’ _

“Well…this proves what I’ve been saying all along. Jadeite was unfit for the job. Thank goodness the wait is about to come to an end.” Yukari heaved a dramatic sigh, then allowed an ecstatic grin to escape, grinning so hard her cheeks hurt.

Jadeite bit back a gulp before using magic to mop up the beads of sweat from his forehead and forcing himself to look the witch queen in the eye. "Queen Beryl, if you please, allow me to reveal the important information I have for you," he stammered. He put on his best pokerface to mask the hopeful feeling he had that Beryl would at least hear him out and let him leave in peace. _‘Maybe then I’ll be able to take those girls up on their offer.’_

"You failed to defeat the senshi for the last time, Jadeite," said the queen, her voice barely above a whisper. There was a touch of quiet fury in her tone, which made the young man quake in his boots. Her eyes narrowed and her voice got louder as she continued, “You thought you could escape your fate, didn’t you?!” It thundered throughout the throne room, making her underlings cover their ears and jump a mile.

At this point Jadeite was a quivering mess. He gaped several times as he realized he was in deeper trouble than he realized. “P-Please, Queen Beryl-sama, i-it’s n-not what you think!”

Beryl could see in the blonde young man’s eyes that he wasn’t being truthful. Besides failure, insubordination and treason, dishonesty was another offense she didn’t tolerate. "Silence! Sleep forever!" Her eyes proceeded to glow.

Jadeite’s eyes widened in horror at this. He tried generating enough energy to teleport, but couldn’t. "Wait, Queen Beryl!" He cried out as the beam of light hit him, encasing him in a massive ice crystal and levitating it out of sight.

The army of youma erupted into terrified shouts among themselves, eliciting a hard stare from the witch queen. In an instant they fell silent, giving her their undivided attention to avoid getting a taste of her wrath.

"Useless failures must be disposed of!” proclaimed Beryl. Staring into the crowd, her lips curled up slightly. “Nephrite, you are my new commander. Present yourself."

The chestnut haired shitennou materialized before Beryl, as did his trio of youma, making sure to remain next to their master. Their lips stretched into wide grins, exhilarated that he would finally have his chance to shine and they were able to share his glory. They had the urge to jump up and down, but knew it would be considered uncivilized to do, so they settled for thumbs up gestures.

Whilst ignoring a chill going down his spine at the ferocity of Beryl’s punishment, Nephrite gave a cocky smile. "What a fool Jadeite was. He had a ridiculous and ineffectual scheme for gathering energy.” He laughed evilly, as if to show how amused he was.

Beryl gave the older shitennou a tiny smile, impressed at his level of confidence. "Is that so? Do you have a better plan in mind, Nephrite?"

"I do. I can get more energy from one single person than Jadeite was able to get from several hundreds."

Beryl got an incredulous look on her face, for she had never heard of such a thing. _‘Could it be?_’ She gazed into the shitennou’s eyes, but saw no evidence he was bluffing. Her skeptical expression turned into intrigue mixed with curiosity and a bit of hope that maybe she wouldn’t have to wait too long for the universe's destruction after all. "Really? How do you plan to do that?"

The corner of Nephrite’s lips quirked up slightly as he replied, "I will use the power of the stars to tell me which human will reach his or her maximum creative energy output."

Before Beryl could respond, the meeting was rudely interrupted by high pitched tenor laughter, at which Nephrite gave a look of displeasure and his henchwomen cringed. Ruby felt bile rising up inside her and it took every ounce of willpower she had not to spew chunks. _‘Ugh…it’s that slimy little worm again.’_

The sakura shitennou appeared in a flurry of cherry blossoms, hovering mid-air. Inwardly he was pouting at the fact that Nephrite had been chosen to continue Jadeite’s work and he wasn’t. _‘I’m the one who should have received the promotion. Me! And Beryl will see that sooner or later.’_ He shot his rival a nasty smirk, shrugging off the hostility he felt in the atmosphere. "You're very ambitious, do you know that?"

Nephrite glowered at the younger shitennou, clearly annoyed about having his meeting with Beryl interrupted and his presence alone. "Get lost, Zoisite!” he barked. “This meeting has nothing to do with you."

Zoisite gave a gasp of mock surprise, clutched his chest and feigned an insulted look, as if showing his feelings had been hurt. "Must you always be grouchy with me? I am only looking out for your best interest. Overconfidence has brought down many, and you would do well to remember that."

All Nephrite did was scowl at Zoisite, all the while mentally cursing him. His trio of youma glared daggers at the younger shitennou, angered that he dared to patronize their master who was superior in every way. If looks could kill, Zoisite would have plummeted from the air to his death. The henchwomen knew they would be advised against tossing him down a peg, but felt they had remained silent long enough. _‘Not anymore, though.’_

"Oh, put a sock in it, pretty boy! Master Nephrite doesn't need a warning from _you_!" Ruby spat venomously.

"Yeah, go jump off a cliff or something!" chimed Yukari.

Miki snickered at her twin’s stinging “advice” and had a few words of her own, but instead opted to keep it subtle, since Yukari and Ruby had done a good job. She turned to Nephrite, whose brow was a bit creased with annoyance. "Master Nephrite, don't pay attention to that vermin, Zoisite. He's nothing but trash," she advised her boss before resting a reassuring hand on his shoulder, at which he managed a reserved smile.

Zoisite tilted his head to the side, smirking at the youma. He was thoroughly tickled by their insults and murderous glares. _‘Such feisty vixens. However, I highly doubt they have the ability to stand up to me in battle. Doing away with them would be simple, but not worth my time.’_ He pulled a strand from his bangs and twirled it around his finger. "Don't say I didn't warn you," he said in a singsong voice, disappearing in a flurry of cherry blossoms.

Beryl rubbed her forehead whilst exhaling an aggravated sigh, for the bickering had grated on her nerves. _‘Hmm…judging from the vehement defense those worthless underlings gave of Nephrite, he should be able to control them with ease.’_ She scowled at their treachery in defecting to the star shitennou’s army, then cleared her throat. "Very well, Nephrite. Your plan sounds promising. You may proceed."

"I thank you, your majesty." Nephrite and his trio of henchwomen gave respectful bows and teleported away.

Miki, Yukari and Ruby accompanied Nephrite in his planetarium as he prepared to make his first evil scheme. Despite the headache from Zoisite’s annoying antics, their eyes lit up with pride and delight, happy that Beryl was ruler enough to approve the veteran shitennou’s plan. _‘She would be a fool not to. I mean, if it’s not ingenious and a perfect counter to Jadeite’s third-rate plans, I don’t know what is.’ _They especially couldn't wait for him to shut Zoisite up once and for all.

Nephrite got a meditative expression on his features, lowering his head a bit. "The stars know everything. They hold the power of the universe. I shall tap into that power to locate those humans as they reach their full energy potential." As he glanced back up, the stars generated a brownish colored laser, which shot through the center of his forehead. "Great archer Sagittarius, I command you to shoot your arrow from the center of the Milky Way and find me a victim!" The stars complied with his wishes by revealing a girl with long chocolate brown hair pulled back into a high ponytail, dressed in a tennis outfit and accompanied by a bandana tied around her head. "Rui Saionji, your energy will be mine." With that, the image of the young tennis player dissolved.

The trio of youma felt chills going down their spines at the demonstration of power, looking as if they were on the edge of their seats watching a nail-biting movie. Yukari rubbed her arm a little, calming the goosebumps that had been popping up like mad. _‘I hope Master Nephrite allows us to assist and prove we are useful for more than just mundane activities, not to mention holding true to the vow we made to be companions as well.’ _

Ruby knew the star shitennou most likely intended to work solo, at least for the early schemes. While she believed he was more than capable, she still wanted him to have a head start just in case the senshi interfered. _‘Ah, how do I aid him without becoming directly involved?’ _she pondered, tapping her chin. Her lips curled up slightly as an idea came to her. She conjured a crimson colored ball, smiling a bit as she admired it. _‘Hmm. Perfect, if I do say so myself...stop it, Ruby, now is not the time to be admiring the beauty of your creation!’_ she mentally scolded herself before turning to the young man. "Master Nephrite, I have something for you that will help with the mission," she told him.

Nephrite turned to face the red head youma, giving a slight raise of the eyebrow. "Oh? And what's that?" he asked, genuinely curious to see what tool she had in mind.

Ruby handed Nephrite the crystal ball. "This energy ball is one of a kind. Even if those pesky sailor brats manage to escape your trap unharmed, you will still have the gathered energy. Think of it as me lending you my strength."

Nephrite nodded, knowing interference from the senshi was a high probability. His lips curled up into a slight smirk. _‘I have an unpleasant surprise in store for those girls.’ _While believing his strength was more than sufficient, he knew he would be a fool to decline such a valuable tool. _‘Besides, a little extra never hurts.’_ He gave a hint of a smile as he accepted Ruby’s gift. "Thank you."

Ruby looked pleased with herself, and also relieved. "The pleasure is all mine."

"If you need any suggestions for the plan, don't hesitate to ask," offered Miki.

"I appreciate the assistance. However, that won't be necessary at this point." It hadn’t taken the star shitennou long to hatch a plan to trap the teen girl in his scheme. He wore an evil grin as he mulled over it in his head. _‘That human game called tennis. How appropriate. Truth be told, I was always intrigued by it. This will be a perfect opportunity to partake in it as a pastime. Of course, a bit of research is in order, first.’_

(next day-afternoon)

A large group of students made their way to the tennis club for the match Rui was participating in. There had been such a mad rush, as no one wanted to miss it. Some pushing and shoving ensued, followed by a male student yelling, “Ouch!” as he felt his left foot being stepped on.

“Oops, sorry,” came a response.

The young boy hopped on his good foot a bit before limping over to the side of the fence with his schoolmates to watch the game. As usual, Rui was proving to be a formidable opponent, hitting the ball back to her receiver with much force. She was considered one of the best tennis players for a fifteen-year-old.

Giddy with excitement for the young girl, Naru started jumping up and down. "That's right, Rui-onesan! Give this hotshot the smackdown!" she cheered, placing both hands by her mouth.

Usagi gave her best friend a strange look. For as long as she could remember, Naru was an only child—at least that was what she was led to believe. _‘Does Naru-chan have a long-lost sibling or something? But why would she hide that from me? It makes no sense.’ _ A deep frown was etched on the blonde’s features. "Why didn't you tell me you had a sister? I thought best friends tell each other everything." She looked slightly hurt.

Naru returned Usagi’s strange look, mildly tickled by her cluelessness. "I don't mean that literally, Usagi-chan! It's just that since she is a year older than both of us, she feels like a big sister to me. Her mother is a long-time customer at the jewelry store, so we’ve been friends since we were really little. She always looks out for me."

"Oh." Usagi looked sheepish, feeling annoyed with herself for jumping to conclusions. "Thank you for the explanation."

All of a sudden, a red Ferrari sped towards the club, pulled over to the side of the road and parked. Its driver, a young man with long wavy chestnut colored hair, climbed out and went to the opposite side to observe the ongoing match, instantly grabbing the attention of the spectators. The girls stopped and stared, becoming starry-eyed at his appearance.

"Oh my, he is so beautiful!" one girl squealed.

"I love his hair," said another one.

“I wonder who he could be. He looks like a movie star.”

“I know right?” a third girl agreed. "To answer your question, he's a young CEO.”

"Do you know him?"

"Not personally. I just know he is a CEO and my mom has seen him at the opera, and my older sister has had him as a customer several times at the CD store she works."

“He’s so handsome!” Usagi and Naru gushed with pink hearts popping out of their eyes. Naru felt her heartbeat speeding up and her knees weakening. She had seen him at the CD store and here he was again. She had the strongest urge to go up to him, introduce herself and tell him how gorgeous he was, but her legs froze and the words escaped her. _‘Oh please, he would probably think I’m a weirdo…or worse, not even notice me. I still wanna meet him, though, but I’ll wait to see how approachable he is and until I’m sure I can speak coherently enough to not say anything dumb.’_

Nephrite appeared oblivious to the girls gushing over him, but in truth he heard every word. He kept his expression impassive, but knew he would be lying if he hadn’t admitted he secretly liked the attention. _‘Ridiculous. There is work to be done. I can’t allow myself to be distracted by those foolish lovesick girls.’ _He did a front flip over the fence onto the tennis court.

Rui's opponent, a girl with red hair, widened her eyes in amazement at the superhuman ability. Her expression then turned into annoyance at having the game interrupted. "Mister, what do you think you're doing? Only members are allowed here."

Nephrite gave no response, but walked up to Rui as if her opponent hadn’t spoken. "I want you to put your weight into the ball," he coached her.

Rui got a “this is awkward” expression on her face at the unexpected instruction. "Huh?"

Nephrite turned to the red head. "Your racquet?"

The teen girl got the impression Nephrite was not to be crossed from the way he looked undaunted by her reprimand. Her cheeks turned bright red as she handed him her tennis racquet. "Here you go."

Nephrite took the racquet away from the girl and turned his attention back to Rui. "Give me your best shot, please."

"O-Okay." After taking a few seconds to pull herself together, Rui tossed the ball and hit it with a loud _THWACK! _ The star shitennou hit the ball back to her with ease. He put so much force into his serve that the ball knocked the racquet out of the girl’s hand. She grabbed her sore wrist and rubbed it a little, looking dumbfounded that the stranger beat her as if she were an amateur.

Usagi and Naru just stood there with their mouths slightly open. _'Glad it's her and not me. If I ever end up being friends with him and he challenges me to a match, I would have to ask him to go easy on me.’ _Naru mentally winced.

"You're not trying hard enough. A fly could have landed on your serve," Nephrite told the young tennis star.

Rui eyed the chestnut-haired young man as if she thought he were nuts. '_Not trying hard enough? Are you kidding me? I gave my best shot like you asked. Your skills are just out of this world,' _she wanted to say, but she knew better. She put on a neutral expression to show the critique was taken in stride. "I don't mean to be nosy or rude, but what's your name?"

"My name is Masato Sanjouin, and I'm a tennis coach," answered Nephrite. He bent over and placed the palm of his hand on the handle of Rui's racquet, engraving his evil magical crest on it. _'I endow this racquet with the Dark Kingdom's greatest power. Give Rui the strength of ten.' _He handed Rui back her racquet. "Remember to put your weight into the ball."

"Um...okay. Thank you for the advice." Rui still didn’t know what to make of the turn of events, but she had to admit this “so called” tennis coach did seem like he knew what he was talking about. _‘Not to mention he nearly broke my wrist…man it hurts.’_

Nephrite proceeded to take his leave, then stopped in his tracks. “Would someone receive Rui’s serve?” he called over his shoulder as he exited the court. He wanted to be sure his scheme worked. _‘No meddling will be tolerated.’_


	3. Chapter 3

(planetarium)

Ruby and the twin sisters waited for their master to return from trapping the professional tennis player. Miki frowned as she recalled how he had been rather abrupt when she offered help. She was unsure what to make of it, especially considering he was generally very gracious and welcomed taking initiative. _‘I hope it doesn’t mean he’s opposed to teamwork in general. I mean, I know he prefers working alone and I respect it, but he may need help somewhere down the road.’_

She quickly shook her head, trying to avoid the insecure train of thought. _‘Of course he will allow you to assist. Just be patient! Geez, it’s like Yukari is rubbing off on you!’ _ she reproached herself.

Nephrite rematerialized, and Miki’s thoughts disappeared from her mind. She felt a small smile forming on her lips upon noticing the satisfied expression he wore, which she and the others took to mean things went smoothly.

"So Master Nephrite, how did it go? Were you able to trap that girl?" asked Ruby.

Nephrite smirked. "Indeed I was. Ensnaring these humans is quite simple, considering they are very gullible."

Miki cackled. "Of course."

“No kidding,” remarked Yukari, remembering how many people were fooled into helping Jadeite’s plans. She then looked serious, but still felt excitement bubbling inside of her. “On a serious note, though, I’m so glad. I have a feeling this is only the beginning, and I am looking forward to seeing how the events unfold.”

Ruby smiled to herself at the brunette’s elation, finding it endearing. _‘Then again, we all had been looking forward to this moment.’ _She directed her smile to Nephrite. "Excellent. Now if you succeed in luring the nosy senshi into this trap and they are destroyed, you'll be all set. Then you can put that vermin Zoisite in his place.” She got a smug grin on her face at the last statement as she pictured the sakura shitennou receiving his just desserts. _‘That’ll teach him to be such a vile little cockroach.’ _

Nephrite couldn't help but chuckle at the last remark. He _did _want to silence the sakura shitennou, but it was not his primary goal. He knew he could accomplish such a feat by simply succeeding in his mission. “Yes, that would be icing on the cake. However, there are far more important matters to take care of at the moment.”

Ruby nodded. “I remember.”

The star shitennou didn’t respond. Instead, he turned away with a concentrative look etched on his features. "Show me the girl!" he ordered. The power of the stars created an image of Rui delivering brutal serves to her opponents and mocking them when they protested. He gave a devilish laugh at the girl’s behavior. '_That's right, Rui. Keep on using that racquet so I can snatch your energy to feed the great Queen Metallia.'_

For a moment, Yukari looked shocked, as she never knew humans were capable of such behavior. _'These foolish mortals never cease to amaze me.’_ She joined in Nephrite’s laughter, as did her twin and Ruby. Not only was it an amusing sight, but there was much anticipation their master’s theory would prove to be correct.

Luna sprinted to the Crown Arcade later that evening. It had been some time since she had spoken with Central Control, and her head was filled with many questions about the Dark Kingdom. A frown crossed her features as her mind landed on Jadeite. _‘I take it he’s dead now, based on the way he disappeared to his hideout when he was in no condition to do so. Usually when he’s defeated, he strikes back with a vengeance, although for a moment it **did** appear as if Usagi-chan had convinced him to change his ways.’_

The feline shook her head, not wanting to dwell too much on the past. Not to mention she had arrived at her destination. Inhaling a deep breath, she entered the nearly vacant arcade and made her way over to Central’s communication base. Hopping onto the chair, she touched the screen, causing it to activate. "Code name 0091, this is Luna, and the password is the moon rabbit makes mochi."

A deep male voice responded, "The moon’s mochi is sticky."

"They puff up when you toast them as well."

"Welcome, Luna. We have new information for you about our enemy."

Luna looked interested, as she needed all the information she could get. "Really? What is it?"

"The first Dark Kingdom shitennou, Jadeite, is deceased."

Luna got a knowing expression on her face. "I thought so." It was all she could do not to hang her head as well. _‘It really is unfortunate. However, we have to move on as the battle becomes more intense. I have a feeling it will.’_

"Another shitennou has taken over the duty of gathering energy in order to feed Beryl's evil master. His name is Nephrite. He is much stronger than Jadeite."

Luna became stone-faced as the realization hit her why the blonde young man had gathered energy from large groups of people. She suspected it was for an evil purpose, but not quite on this scale. The idea of facing a much stronger shitennou especially made her shudder. _‘Jadeite was monstrous enough. However, I must notify the girls so we can be prepared.’ _ Satisfied with the information she received, she left the arcade.

After Luna had arrived home and instructed Usagi to contact Ami, as well as Rei, the girls, along with Luna made their way to the Hikawa Shrine. They spotted Rei sweeping the steps. She stopped when she saw her friends and Luna had arrived.

“Hi, guys,” the raven-haired girl greeted with a cheerful smile. Unable to resist, she turned to give Usagi a look of approval. “Wow, this is the second time you’re not late for a meeting, Usagi.”

Usagi grinned, happy that Rei wasn’t getting on her case for once. “See?” she said with a look of triumph. “I’m not as worthless as you think.”

Rei looked aghast at the suggestion. She knew she was direct in her criticisms of the blonde, but she never hinted or suggested those words. “Now hold on…I never said you were worthless, I just meant---”

Luna loudly cleared her throat, getting the attention of both girls. She gave them a stern “not today” look. “Now is not the time for that, girls. We have important matters to discuss, and very little time to waste.”

Rei nodded, feeling annoyed for letting Usagi distract her. _‘Seriously, that girl will be the death of me.’ _ She sighed, then caught herself and put on her best attentive look. “Right. So, what’s up?”

“I have very important information for you from Central,” came the response.

At that, the girls were all ears. Their gut feelings told them it was something major. “What did he tell you?” asked Ami.

Luna put on a grave expression as she answered, “He mentioned the death of Jadeite, and the agenda of our enemy, the Dark Kingdom. Their goal is to steal energy for an evil purpose. As for what the purpose is, I am not certain, but he said to be on the alert for someone named Nephrite.”

Usagi’s heart sank at the news of Jadeite’s demise, and she felt so numb that the remainder of her feline guardian’s words barely registered with her. "So Jadeite is dead...what a shame that he went when it seemed like he was willing to change his ways. Although I probably shouldn’t, I feel like I failed.” Looking forlorn, she wistfully wrung her hands, swallowing a lump that had lodged in her throat.

Rei let out an aggravated sigh, resisting the urge to slap some sense into the blonde. “Usagi, I understand you’re depressed, but this is not the time to become mopey on us. We have more important things to worry about."

Usagi looked as she _had_ been slapped. She faced the fire senshi angrily. "Oh, back off, Rei! You would never understand!" she snapped.

Rei drew in a deep breath, ready to _really_ explode at Usagi. It frustrated her how oversensitive the blonde could be.

"Don't start!" warned Ami, refusing to allow a petty argument to ensue. "Like Luna said, we have important things to discuss."

The two girls turned away from each other and nodded. "Right," said Usagi.

"Did Central tell you anything _else _about this Nephrite person?" asked Rei.

Luna shook her head. "Only that he is much stronger than Jadeite. That means we'll have to make a lot of preparations."

Rei got a fiery look in her eyes as she gave a cocky grin. “Oh, I won't need to prepare. I'm all set! So just let me take care of them!"

Luna and Ami both got worried expressions on their faces at the raven-haired teen’s overconfidence, not to mention un-strategic approach to the situation. They knew it would cost them the battle for sure.

"No, Rei, we must not be hasty. Remember, we would not have been able to defeat Jadeite if we didn’t use teamwork," Ami reminded the fire senshi.

"That's right," Luna agreed. "We have no idea who we're up against. And depending on how much more powerful this Nephrite is, we'll have to step up our training."

Usagi's ears jumped when she heard Luna say training. She appeared as if her world had come to an end before, but her eyes finally brightened. "I know! For training, we could take tennis lessons!" she suggested excitedly.

"What?!" exclaimed Ami and Rei. They could tell the blonde had not been listening enough to know what type of training Luna was talking about.

"Wait until you see that new movie star gorgeous tennis coach, Masato Sanjouin!" She started tittering.

Rei shook her head in disbelief. "So you mean you've given up on Tuxedo Kamen? That's a-okay with me. That means I'll have a chance at him." She smiled deviously as she proceeded to concoct a way to win his heart.

Luna gave an exasperated sigh. "It's a good thing Mars and Mercury have been awakened. If Sailor Moon was the only senshi, this planet would cease to exist!"

Usagi looked deeply hurt. "Luna! What are you saying?! That I don't care about our future?"

"No, she means you don't take your job seriously, which you need to start doing," answered Rei.

"Blah, blah, blah! Your lectures are soo annoying!" retorted Usagi.

"You guys must keep in mind Usagi is our leader, so we should respect her," pointed out Ami.

Usagi smiled at Ami. _‘Finally, someone on my side.’ _She heaved a contented sigh as she pulled her friend into a big hug. "Thanks so much for understanding me! You’re my only real friend." Luna and Rei could only roll their eyes at the blonde’s overly dramatic antics.

Ami looked a bit taken aback at the sudden affection Usagi showed her, but returned it graciously. Feeling compelled to humor the blonde, she shot her a grin. "I need to work on a program that will show what the new shitennou looks like. I'll tell you what. While we do that, you take the tennis lesson and we will fill you in later. Okay?"

Usagi smiled brightly at her friend. She knew there was bound to be protests, but she didn’t care. "Okay! Sounds good!” She jogged home to tell her parents about her new decision. Ami left as well to continue her studies.

As time drew closer to the upcoming tennis tournament, Rui became increasingly more aggressive, brutal, malicious, short tempered, manipulative, unreasonable and condescending, almost as if she had been possessed by an evil spirit. Some of her teammates were beginning to dislike having her around, but they kept it to themselves for fear she would go into one of her rages. They dealt with them enough whenever they refused to practice with her for as long as she liked.

After overwhelming her opponent with another of her ferocious serves, Rui approached the red-head, giving an evil chuckle. She stepped on the partially torn racquet, crushing it beneath her foot to complete the rupture. _‘Good thing this court is nearly empty so no one can rat me out.’_

The young girl, who had just recovered, looked horrified to see her racquet being walked on as if it were nothing more than a mere bug. "Stop walking on the racquet, you'll damage it! It's very expensive and would be difficult to replace!"

Rui gave a callous smirk, undeterred by the reproach. "Oh well. No point in paying so much because it's not doing you any good. Get up and play or get off!"

The red head looked as if she had been punched in the gut. Her voice became stone cold as she announced, “I'm going! It's very late." She jumped to her feet in a huff and stiffly walked off the court. Sensing the tension in the air, a vast majority of the spectators took their leave as well.

Naru, who had been observing from the sidelines, frowned deeply at how poorly Rui was treating the other players. _'What's going on? Rui is usually a very nice person. Something is seriously wrong.’_ She debated within herself whether she should be the one to find out as she considered how many people had been reduced to walking on eggshells. _‘Don’t be afraid. The worst thing that will happen is she’ll decline to talk to you,’ _said a voice inside her head. Sucking it up, she timidly walked onto the court. "Excuse me Rui-san,” she said in a super polite voice.

Rui glanced up with a scowl on her face, ready to open fire on anyone who dared to disrupt her training. There stood Naru, her closest friend. Her angry look didn’t soften, as she wasn't too pleased to see her “little sister”. _‘Then again, all of these humans bore me. To think I was ever weak enough to associate myself with this girl.’ _

Naru knew from the look of displeasure etched on her friend’s features she had better make it quick. A part of her wanted to say never mind, but she had a gut feeling it wouldn’t bode well. She took a deep breath. "Is something wrong? If you're upset about anything at all, you know you can always come to me."

Rui took a look at her childhood friend. So innocent, so filled with concern, yet so naïve. She was sure the girl meant well, but she wasn't in the mood for it at the moment. "It's personal. Now go away and leave me alone!" she snapped.

Naru felt the proverbial knife going through her heart. _‘Perhaps I’m just being nosy, but I have a right to be concerned.’ _Still, she knew better than to press the issue, lest things would _really_ get ugly. She gulped before exhaling a sigh of resignation. "All right. I'm sorry." Feeling sorely distraught, she turned away from her friend and walked off the tennis court. Tears stung at the corner of her eyes, but she didn’t bother trying to stop them when they cascaded down her cheeks. It appeared her friendship with Rui was over.

(next day-after school)

Usagi met Naru at her apartment upon her request. As she reached up and rang the doorbell, her heart pounded with worry. Sure, she had been invited over many times before, but from the red head’s demeanor and tone of voice, she knew something was wrong. _‘Not to mention she seemed so distracted, unusually quiet and sad…but I understand school isn’t the best place to vent your personal problems to anyone...mainly because a certain someone can’t keep his big mouth shut.’_

The blonde’s musings were interrupted by a voice announcing, “Coming!” The door opened to reveal Naru, who appeared genuinely glad to see her. Usagi looked relieved that she didn’t seem to be quite as gloomy as before.

“Hi, Usagi-chan,” greeted the red head, making an effort to sound cheerful. “Come on in.” She stepped to the side so her best friend could enter.

Usagi stepped inside, and Naru shut the door behind her. The blonde followed her into the kitchen, watching as she picked up a tray containing a plate of hotcakes and saucers of tea, at which she couldn’t help drooling. “Wow, those look sooooo good,” she squealed.

Naru giggled a little. “I thought you would want some.” She carefully carried the tray into her bedroom, with Usagi following her. The two girls sat on the floor and enjoyed their afternoon snack.

"Thank you for coming over," said Naru, when she and Usagi were through. “I hope I didn’t interrupt you from anything important.”

"Oh no, not at all. It was nothing," replied Usagi. "I noticed at school, you seemed very down. What happened? Are you ok?"

Gloominess reappeared on Naru’s child-like features. The whole situation was so depressing for the red-head to think or talk about, but she decided it couldn’t hurt to confide in her best friend. "It's not me. It's Rui-onechan. I think something or someone must have made her really upset."

Usagi cocked an eyebrow. She wasn't sure what had happened since she wasn't able to make it to any tennis lessons. "Huh? What makes you say that?"

"She's become very vitriolic and aggressive to the other players. She seems like a total stranger, it’s almost as if she’s under the influence of drugs or something."

Usagi frowned, as it didn’t sound like the brunette. She also had a feeling something was amiss, but she didn’t want to scare Naru. "Maybe she's just stressed out because of the big tournament, with all the pressure she is feeling from those who expect her to win."

Naru shook her head, doubting very much that was the case, even though it was what she had convinced herself at first. For one thing, why would Rui be afraid to just say so? It made no sense. "At first I was trying to believe that's all it was but…” She got choked up and had to pause before she lost control of her voice. “Something in my gut tells me her problem is much more serious." The red head started to cry over the drastic change in Rui’s personality. She remembered the happier times, like when they were little and inseparable. The idea that those times might never happen again really stung.

"I tried to ask her what was wrong and she bit my head off," Naru finished, sniffling. She picked up a napkin to wipe her tears away.

It broke Usagi’s heart to see Naru so upset. She wished she could wave the magic wand to make everything better. "I think you should try again to find out what’s going on with her. And this time, I'll come with you so we can do it together."

Naru’s eyes brightened. "Really? You'll help?"

"Course I'll help. That's what friends are for."

“W-Well I—” Naru hesitated as if to show how unsure she was, but felt maybe with Usagi's help, she would make a bit more progress. She threw her arms around her best friend. "Thank you so much, Usagi-chan! I don't know what I would do without you!"

Usagi held Naru close. "Right back at you. "

Later that night, Naru and Usagi headed over to the tennis club together. Usagi was feeling a bit sluggish from the heavy dinner she had not too long ago, and had to pinch herself to remain alert. _‘This is no time for sleeping on the job. After all, I made a promise to Naru-chan and besides, there might be trouble later. Thank God tomorrow is Saturday, so I can sleep in.’_

Usagi shot her friend a sideways glance. "You mean to tell me Rui-san is still out here?"

Naru nodded. "She has been practicing really late every night this week."

Usagi’s eyes went wide as saucers. “Wow. That’s insane. I’m almost afraid to see the tennis match she set up.” Still, she knew she had to, especially if she wanted to get a good assessment of Rui’s behavior. She then got an uneasy feeling in her chest. _'I didn’t want to tell Naru, but I honestly think the Dark Kingdom is involved. This will be the perfect opportunity for me to prove I can hold my own in a fight.'_ She got a smug expression on her face at the thought of showing up Rei and Luna, chuckling softly to herself.

Naru eyed the blonde strangely. “Usagi-chan? What are you…?”

“Huh?” Usagi caught herself, looking around the tennis court. Her eyes bugged out when she saw two men lying on the ground. “What the…?”

"Playing against her is like fighting a sumo wrestler," one of the men groaned.

Rui peered down at the young men, smirking. Their pain-filled groans were like music to her ears. "Giving up so soon? I thought you clowns were real men. If this is how you feel during practice, then there’s no way you can survive the tournament. "

The two men grunted, beyond weary of the teen’s taunting. "Seriously, it's getting late."

Rui feigned a disappointed look. "Just one more game!" She cackled and prepared to deliver her ferocious serve.

Naru nudged Usagi, as if to say, _'Now we make our move', _at which Usagi nodded. The two girls entered the court. "Rui-san, stop it!" Naru yelled.

Rui looked up sharply to see Naru and Usagi with no-nonsense expressions on their faces. She glared murderously at them, not appreciating her game being interrupted one bit. “Get lost!"

For a moment Naru looked taken aback, but she stuck out her jaw defiantly, her eyes filled with determination. "No! Not until you stop and listen to what we have to say!"

"Get lost if both of you know what's good for you!" the tennis player screamed for the second time.

"Naru-chan is only trying to help you!" said Usagi. "Why are you acting this way?"

"Last chance and you'll be sorry!" Rui blared at the top of her lungs. Still, the girls refused to budge. In a rage, she grabbed her racquet and swung at them. The magical crest proceeded to glow bright red, causing the racquet to emit a blast of negative energy and sent the two girls careening off the tennis court, into the bushes.

Nephrite, who had been monitoring Rui’s progress, gave a smirk of satisfaction at her last act of cruelty and knew it was time to put her energy to better use. "Her energy level has reached its peak…I summon you, Tesuni!"

A female youma with short light brown hair, elf-like ears, dressed in a red jumpsuit and holding a racquet of her own rose from Rui's racquet. Clutching the energy draining ball he received from Ruby, Nephrite teleported to the scene, made himself invisible and proceeded to collect the energy from the young girl. Crying out in pain, Rui collapsed. The star shitennou chuckled quietly. _‘Farewell, little girl._’ His work done, he retreated back to his mansion. No way was he going to linger around like Jadeite always did and risk having his cover blown so soon._ ‘Besides, I have what I need.’_

Tesuni gave an evil laugh before peering at Rui's unconscious form and smirking. "That's right, you stupid little girl. Surrender that wasted energy to a more worthy cause."

The diabolical laughter roused Usagi from her seemingly comatose state. Groaning, she sat up slowly and took one look at the ugly youma, horror crossing her features upon realizing that her suspicions were correct. She clenched her teeth in anger. _'Those creeps will pay for using poor Rui-san! Not to worry, Naru-chan. Everything will be back to normal again soon.'_ She gave Naru a reassuring pat on the head and hid behind the bushes to transform. "Moon Prism Power, Make Up!" Prepared for battle, she went to face off against the monster.

(planetarium)

Nephrite gave an evil grin at seeing Sailor Moon arrive at the scene. _' Excellent. The annoying fool has fallen into my trap. Soon, she and her pitiful little friends will be destroyed.' _He hoped Tesuni wouldn’t fail him. He had very little patience for failure although he was treating the first battle as a test for the senshi’s strengths and weaknesses.

Just then, the trio of henchwomen appeared, curtsying respectfully. "I see we're just in time to watch the battle,” stated Yukari, looking relieved.

"You definitely wouldn't want to miss that," said Miki.

"This should be fun," Ruby commented in her sassy tone. She wore a malicious grin as she anticipated what was to come for the moon senshi whilst listening to the introductory speech. _‘Naïve fool. You don’t stand a chance. Master Nephrite’s youma is in a different league from what you and your silly friends faced in the past.’_

A sly grin formed on Tesuni’s lips as she fired a small burst of energy from her racquet at the blonde senshi. Letting out a horrified gasp, Sailor Moon turned and ran as fast as she could. Unfortunately, it was a useless course of action as the burst of energy still hit her, entrapping her in a massive tennis ball. Before she could react, she started bouncing all over the court. With each hit she gave a yelp of pain, which grew louder when she landed on her face. Tesuni gave a malicious chuckle at the blonde’s regret towards taking her on solo.

Miki and Ruby tried their hardest to stifle their laughter, but didn’t have much success as snorts still managed to escape. Yukari laughed so hard she nearly fell on the floor and tears streamed down her cheeks. Miki and Ruby glanced at each other in utter amazement, for they had never heard the girl laugh so hard.

Nephrite had a look of amusement on his features, then gave an evil chuckle._ ‘You’re mine now, Sailor Moon,' _he mentally gloated.

"Look at the champion of justice now," Ruby mocked.

"I know right?" agreed Yukari, still laughing. She finally calmed down, wiped her eyes and rubbed the soreness from her sides. _‘Thank heavens I’m not wearing much make up. Feels good, though.’_

"There's no way that clumsy oaf is going to get out of this one. Her lucky streak is over." Miki was aware of the fact that the attack was relatively weak, but she saw it as a way to slow the superheroine down in order to prepare for the finishing blow. _‘Besides, what fun would it be to dispose of her right away? And if those other little girls show up, they will be destroyed, too.’_

Tesuni prepared to finish off the moon senshi, but before she could, she was hit in the face with a flurry of crimson rose petals, blinding her and making her hiss loudly. After regaining her senses, she spotted a red rose stuck in the ground and wildly gazed around the court in search of the culprit. “Who did that?!”

"You don't want to know," answered a deep voice.

Sailor Moon let out a soft gasp at the sight of the rose and sound of the voice. _‘Am I going crazy? I hope not. I can use some help right about now.’ _ To make sure neither her mind nor eyes were playing tricks on her, she blinked several times and looked up to see a figure perched on a bench, clad in a black tuxedo, top hat and mask. First, she heaved a sigh of relief, then her face lit up. “Tuxedo Kamen-sama, it’s so good to see you!” she squealed with red hearts popping out of her eyes.

The trio of henchwomen got unimpressed expressions on their features at both the masked man’s appearance and Moon’s reaction, although a tiny part of them wanted to laugh at the idea of him being turned into a tennis ball as well. Miki gazed cross-eyed at the image. _‘How nauseating. Then again, it’s only appropriate for a girl like her to choose such a dork. Both of them are weaklings in comparison and are known to bite off more than they can chew.’_

A look of displeasure crossed Nephrite’s features. It was all he could do not to growl in annoyance as well, despite knowing he also had the caped hero to contend with. His displeased expression transformed into an evil smirk. _‘If he thinks I’m going to allow him to interfere with my plans, he’s more foolish than I thought.’_

Tesuni shot Tuxedo Kamen a look that was between a sneer and a glare. “You dare to meddle in my affairs? Stay out of this or you will suffer the same fate!”

The masked hero rose up from the bench, giving the tennis themed youma a devious grin. “Go ahead. Do your worst.”

Yukari let out a slight giggle. “What an idiot. Didn’t anyone ever teach him to be careful what he wished for?”

Miki snorted. “Obviously not, but he’s going to learn the hard way.”

“I’ll say,” Ruby agreed. _‘Come on, Tesuni. Don’t hold back.’_

Nephrite and the trio watched as Tesuni fired an energy blast from her racquet. Much to their chagrin, Tuxedo Kamen dodged it with ease and extended his cane, knocking the youma in the head. The henchwomen’s jaws dropped slightly at this, as they had no idea such an attack was a part of the caped hero’s arsenal.

Nephrite sensed the shift in the girls’ moods. Although he understood their irritation, he didn’t want them to lose confidence in the youma so soon. “Not to worry. It has only just begun. There are many more unpleasant surprises in store for those two.”

The henchwomen nodded, looking thoughtful. There was no doubt in their minds that Tesuni would become more brutal with her foes. Yukari rubbed her hands together. _‘I just wish she would get on with it already.’ _

Sailor Moon grinned widely as she proceeded to clap like a fangirl. “You’re so awesome, Tuxedo Kamen-sama! You totally showed her!” She rose to her full height, and the massive tennis ball disappeared, freeing her. Looking around and moving her arms a bit, she smiled in relief to discover she was no longer trapped.

“Remain on your guard. It’s not time to celebrate just yet,” Tuxedo Kamen warned the blonde senshi.

The star shitennou gave a small sneer at the caped hero’s reminders to Moon, particularly the latter. '_How very perceptive of you to recognize this is no cause for celebration, Tuxedo Kamen. Except you're foolish enough to think you and your little friend will get away unpunished.’ _

Tesuni glared at the pair before her whilst crouching forward in a combative stance. “You foolish humans may have lasted this long, but now it’s time to kill you both, starting with the nosy senshi!”

Moon shrunk back and proceeded to tremble, her legs becoming like stone. “No…please…no!” she whimpered.

Tesuni thrust out her racquet and launched a barrage of fireballs from it, which rained down like a hailstorm. She gave a cruel laugh as the blonde senshi struggled to dodge the downpour of flames before shooting a massive fireball for the kill.

Moon cried out in fear as she prepared to be fried to a crisp. Luckily for her, Tuxedo Kamen grabbed her out of the way just in time. She rested her head against the young man’s chest, sighing blissfully at his warmth, at which the henchwomen felt queasy.

“Drat!” spat the tennis youma. With a sly smirk forming on her lips, she prepared to launch another fireball from her racquet, this time with the intent of killing both adversaries. Before she could, Tuxedo Kamen tossed another rose, once again hitting her in the face and blinding her.

Yukari clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, letting out a growl. “Ugh, not this again.” She exhaled a deep breath through her nostrils, trying to fight the urge to go to the site and wreak havoc for the duo.

“I know!” agreed Miki. “That will most certainly give Sailor Moon the opportunity she needs to attack.”

Ruby let out a huff. “Yes---if she isn’t too love-sick to take advantage of it.”

Nephrite, who had merely been listening to the girls’ chatter whilst observing the battle, gave a slight chuckle at Ruby’s obvious dig at the moon senshi, which spoke to his beliefs on the matter. “How right you are, Ruby. Her weak, silly emotions will one day lead to her demise.”

“Indeed.” 

The sound of Tuxedo Kamen’s pain-filled grunts as he stooped down on his knees clutching his head recaptured the attention of Nephrite and his trio of youma, which they observed with pleasureful smiles. Despite reveling in his obvious discomfort, it did little to appease the indignation, especially since Tesuni had yet to regain her senses. The concern Sailor Moon showed to the caped hero didn’t help matters, either.

“Don’t worry about me! This is your chance now!” groaned out Tuxedo Kamen.

Moon nodded. “Right!” She turned away from the ebony-haired young man and removed her tiara, tossing it at the tennis themed youma. “Moon Tiara Action!”

Tesuni had just barely recovered from the assault when she saw the frisbee weapon headed for her. Fear appeared on her features upon realizing she couldn’t move. Nephrite and his trio of henchwomen watched with grim expressions as the tiara hit her, reducing her to dust on impact, followed by an ear-piercing howl.

_‘Noooooo!’ _Yukari mentally screamed as the cry of her former ally rang in her ear. She lowered her head, not wanting to see any more. Ruby pinched the bridge of her nose, whilst Miki put on her best pokerface. It was almost as if she had prepared herself for such an end. _‘She was one of the weaker youma after all. Still, there are several soldiers with great potential, not to mention the capabilities of myself, Ruby and Yukari, if Master Nephrite grants us that opportunity.’ _

Nephrite kept his expression stoic, successfully managing to hide what disgust he had felt about the failure. He gazed down at the crystal ball he had been holding, his lips quirking up a bit when he saw he was still in possession of the energy he gathered, just as Ruby said he would be. Unless it was destroyed, that is. _‘Which I won’t be so careless to allow.’_ His success in capturing the energy and failure to defeat the senshi placed him in a win/lose situation. _‘It remains to be seen if Beryl will view it as such and give me credit where it is due.’_

Miki turned to the star shitennou, keeping her expression as neutral as possible to hide her desperation. Although she had initially coaxed herself to remain patient, the question still weighed on her mind. "Master Nephrite? Please pardon me if I’m requesting too much, but will Yukari, Ruby and I ever have a chance to assist you? All our forces combined with yours will make you invincible." Hearing this grabbed the attention of Ruby and Yukari as they awaited a response.

Nephrite could see how badly his trio of youma wanted to aid him in his scheme. A part of him was tempted to decline once again, since he preferred working solo, but a pang of guilt pricked his heart. _‘You have witnessed their abilities on numerous occasions, and they have proven time and time again their loyalties lie with you alone,’ _a voice inside his head chided him. He gave a hint of a smile at their eagerness. "Yes. You girls will have your chance to help me, all in due time."

The henchwomen’s eyes brightened at this. They each gave a respectful curtsey, followed by a profuse, "Thank you."

(three days later)

Despite the destruction of the monster, Rui had not recovered her energy and was admitted to the hospital as a result. Although the doctors were optimistic about her recovery given her young age, her condition required bed rest for seven days, which meant missing several days of school and withdrawing from the tennis tournament.

After school that day, Naru and Usagi walked home together. Usagi had specifically made sure she would be available as she knew the red head was in need of a friend, and she didn’t want to give the impression that she was too busy. _‘I think me hanging out with Rei and Ami more often has been harder on her than she lets on. While it may seem natural since we’re all senshi, she’s been my friend for much longer than either of them.’_

“So Naru-chan, how is Rui doing?” asked Usagi, breaking the silence.

The corner of Naru’s lips curled up a bit as she answered, ”Well, I called the hospital just before bedtime last night and she had just woken up from her coma.”

Usagi looked relieved, and also felt a smile escaping. “Wow, that’s great news! I was really worried for awhile.”

Naru nodded. “Me too. Especially since I had no idea what caused her to be unconscious in the first place.”

Usagi fell silent, knowing it was the work of the Dark Kingdom, although why the energy had not returned to the renowned tennis player after she defeated the monster was just as confusing. _‘I can’t tell Naru-chan that, though. Not without giving away my identity.’ _She quickly wracked her brain for a reply, lest the red head would question her silence. “Well, whatever it is, I’m glad the doctors found a way to deal with it. I have to say, though, it’s too bad this happened and she has to pull out of the tournament after practicing so hard.”

Naru sighed, a dejected look crossing her features as she recalled Rui’s behavior during the practice sessions. ”Yeah, I know. But it’s more important she gets her strength back.” Her eyes then brightened a little. "I was gonna stop by the hospital to see her. Want to come with me?"

"Sure," the blonde answered cheerfully. Although she didn't know the girl well, she was always open to making new friends.

"Great." The girls were approaching Naru’s apartment when all of a sudden the red head came to a stop, prompting Usagi to do the same. “I need to go get something. I’ll be right back.”

Usagi nodded. “Okay. No problem. I’ll just wait here.”

“Okay.” Naru headed towards the apartment. Usagi watched her for a bit, then took out her personal cell phone, typing her mother a text that read: _“Hi Mom. I’m with Naru-chan, and we’re going to the hospital to visit Rui. I promise to be home before dinner. Love, Usagi.” _ She hit the send button, and slipped her cell phone back inside her backpack. Just as she was doing that, Naru came running back outside carrying a basket.

“I’m back!” Naru announced. “Ready to go?”

“Yup! Let’s go!” 

The two teen girls proceeded to make their way to the hospital, walking in silence and looking pensive. Although Usagi had tried unsuccessfully to dismiss her confusion about why Rui’s energy had not returned, it still nagged at her. _‘Whoever this Nephrite person is must be determined to do the job right, I’ll give him that. The question is how?’_ Just thinking about the situation caused a scowl to resurface on her face and her blood to boil. _‘I’m gonna get to the bottom of this somehow, and once I do, he’s going to be sorry!’_

It wasn’t too long before Naru and Usagi saw the local medical facility coming into view. They slowed down a little as they walked towards the building to give their legs a rest. All of a sudden Naru felt a knot forming in the middle of her stomach as she was hit by worry at the possibility of her friend making a turn for the worst. _‘Perhaps it’s silly, but I’ve heard so many horror stories of that happening.’ _ Not wanting to take any chances, she picked up the pace once again.

For a second, Usagi looked startled at the sudden change of pace. "Hey, wait for me!" She broke into a run to catch up with the red head. They briskly walked into the hospital, and headed to Rui's room. Once there, Usagi stepped back, allowing her best friend to enter first before following her inside.

Rui was sitting up, reading a sports magazine. Naru heaved a sigh of relief to see she was all right and that her fears were unfounded. _‘She looks tired but at least she doesn’t look as pale as a ghost anymore.’_

Rui gave a small smile upon noticing her visitors. "Hi," she greeted, making an effort to sound perky.

“Hi there!” answered Usagi, flashing the brunette a bright smile.

Naru peered down at her feet, feeling shy all of a sudden. Although Rui seemed as friendly as she usually was, she couldn't be certain the tennis star was her old self. She redirected her attention towards her friend. "Hi Rui-onechan. "

"How are you feeling?" asked Usagi. She didn't think was right for Naru to do all the talking.

"I'm a little tired, but other than that, I’m okay," came the reply. “Thank you for asking.”

"I'm glad," said Naru. "I have something for you."

Rui looked pleasantly surprised. "You do?"

"Yes." Naru moved closer to Rui and handed her the get-well basket.

Rui took the basket and placed it on top of the desk. "Thank you so much."

"So, are we friends again?" Naru asked a bit cautiously.

Rui gave the red head a confused frown. She didn't remember having any fight with Naru. "What do you mean? We've always been friends."

Naru realized Rui must not have remembered what had happened during the previous week, but if the brunette really meant it, she saw no reason to complain. "I guess you're right."

Usagi smiled, glad to see things were back to normal between the two girls.


	4. Chapter 4

One afternoon, Usagi and Rei accompanied Ami at her favorite park she frequently visited during her leisure time. For the first few moments the girls remained silent, just enjoying the sounds of nature, gentle breeze and tranquil atmosphere. Rei did a quick look around, frowning at how empty the park seemed. _‘This place is so beautiful…those people don’t know what they’re missing. Then again, I would want it this way if I had to study for a test or if I were writing a song.’_

Usagi got a dreamy look on her face and exhaled a blissful sigh. "Oh, this park is so beautiful, and it’s the perfect place for a date," she said. Her heart raced and her cheeks turned bright red as she envisioned her day out with Tuxedo Kamen or Motoki. While she still had yet to make up her mind between the two, she was fine with either one. _‘I’ll just wait to see what fate decides for me, I guess.’_

Usually Rei would chastise Usagi for not being serious enough, but instead her face lit up in delight. "For once I agree with you, Usagi. I would love to have a boyfriend to come here with." She had a bit of a smug look on her face. _'And I know just the guy, too…the one who calls Usagi dumpling head…he’s so handsome. I don’t care what Usagi says, he reminds me of Tuxedo Kamen. She has to be blind not to see it.’ _ Just thinking of the ebony-haired young man made her heart turn into mush and her knees weak.

Usagi grinned at the fact that Rei was actually agreeing with her, although she didn't trust the smugness on the girl’s face. "Well, I'm glad you agree for once."

Ami looked pleased to see that so far Usagi and Rei were getting along for a change. Their bickering tended to give her a migraine. However, she knew to enjoy their harmony while it lasted since things could change at any given moment. She made a “hmm” sound as she drew her lips in a line. "That sounds nice, but _my_ ideal day is going out on the lake and reading a really good book…or even studying. In fact, I usually do both when I come here."

Usagi felt her nose beginning to wrinkle at the idea of studying, but camouflaged it with a twitch instead, not wanting to hurt Ami’s feelings. After all, she was aware of the blue-haired teen’s work ethic and secretly admired it. She looked thoughtful. “You’re right…especially if it’s this quiet and there’s no one around to bug you.”

Ami smiled at the blonde’s supportive response. It wasn’t her usual, but it still warmed her heart all the same. "Thank you, Usagi-chan, I really appreciate that. Say, would you guys like to come with me to see Mr. Kunitachi?"

"Sure," answered the two girls. They had heard many wonderful things about the gentleman from Ami and wanted to meet him ever since. Usagi gazed around the park and then asked, "Where is he?"

"In the garden. Come, let's go."

“Okay!”

Ami and her friends wandered over to the garden, drowning out the sounds of the frogs croaking and crickets chirping. Usagi felt butterflies fluttering around in her stomach. _‘Please don’t let me klutz out or say something dumb.’ _

When the girls arrived, they spotted an old man hard at work planting a flower. Ami mouthed to her friends, “That’s him”, before greeting her elderly friend with a cheerful, "Hi there, Mr. Kunitachi.”

_‘Hmm?’ _The old man turned away from his handiwork, his lips spreading into a warm smile upon seeing Ami and her friends. “Well, hello to you, too, Ami-san. It’s wonderful to see you.” He squinted at the girls who accompanied her. “I take it these girls are the good friends you have spoken about time and time again?”

“Yes!” answered the blue-haired teen. “This is Usagi and Rei.”

“Hello,” both girls said. Usagi added, “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Likewise. I can certainly see why you are such good friends of Ami’s. You both seem delightful.”

Rei’s cheeks flushed, whilst Usagi giggled shyly and responded, “Oh thank you. Well, you’re just as kind as Ami-chan said you were, and I’m not just saying that, either. “ At this point, the butterflies in her stomach had died down.

“Yes, what she said,” agreed Rei. She didn’t want the man to think she lacked good manners. _‘Actually, if Usagi hadn’t jumped up to speak to him first, there wouldn’t be any issues!’ _Resisting the urge to shoot the blonde a dirty look, she exhaled through her nostrils, keeping her expression neutral.

Mr. Kunitachi let out a slight chortle. “Well, thank you. That’s very kind of you to say.”

Ami smiled, glad to see her friends liked the old man as much as she did. Truth be told, she more or less expected Usagi to warm up to him quickly, so it came as no surprise to her. _‘She does have a big heart, after all.’_ Her smile faded and was replaced with a look of guilt. “Sorry if we disturbed you from your work. “

The old man smiled kindly at Ami. “Oh, you girls are no trouble at all. Actually, it was my intention to take a break after planting that flower.”

“Oh. All right.” Ami looked relieved, and her feelings of guilt disappeared.

Mr. Kunitachi gave the young girls a reassuring smile. “Yes. You are never a bother to me. Always remember that.” He sat down on the bench.

Ami nodded. “Thank you. I will.” She and the other girls sat down as well.

"So," said Usagi, gathering her thoughts, "Ami told me she has known you since she was just a little kid."

"That's right. I have taught her everything I could about my job. Sadly, I am about to lose it. My colleagues intend to change this park into an office building. I'm so angry about it; they're going to wipe out the whole park."

Ami looked horrified at the news. It always saddened and angered her when people had no respect for the environment. "That's terrible. You have to find a way to stop them. I will do all I can to help."

Mr. Kunitachi sadly shook his head, as if to say don't bother. "That's very kind of you Ami, but it's no use. I did everything I could to stop them, but they wouldn't listen. It appears I’m the only one who has ever taken this job seriously." He released a dejected sigh.

Usagi looked as if she had just lost her best friend. She could tell the old man had poured his heart and soul into his work. _‘I’m sure it must have taken him years to make it so beautiful, too, and now it’s gonna be ruined by some jerks!’_ She felt tears welling up in her eyes, but she jabbed at them with the palms of her hands. "Oh no. Not your beautiful flowers."

"Oh, my co-workers will bulldoze them down, too. Enjoy the park while you can, girls. It will be gone next week. "

Rei remained silent with a look of disgust etched on her features and felt bile rising up inside her. She clenched both fists to calm her rage._ ‘As sickening as the whole situation is, going ballistic won’t accomplish anything. I will talk to Grandpa. There's gotta be a way to save this park and I won’t rest until I find it.'_

Luna stood outside the Crown Arcade, waiting for the girls to arrive. She had just finished conversing with Central Control, where she had given him an update on the senshi’s progress against the new enemy. He in turn gave her some words of encouragement.

The feline guardian breathed a heavy sigh. While seeing the moon senshi defeat the youma without help from her friends gave her a bit of hope, she knew the blonde still had a long way to go. '_I just wish she would not be so erratic_._ That’s not a luxury we can afford, especially after what happened to Rui.’ _ She also hoped Usagi wouldn’t take too long to grow as a warrior, given the increasing intensity in the battle. _‘Rui was lucky, but I have a feeling the worst is yet to come.’ _ She lowered her head, looking pensive.

Luna was so deep in thought that at first, she didn’t notice she was in the path of a massive truck driving by. On impulse, her head jerked up and she got a frightened look on her face, her tongue hanging out as she prepared to be roadkill. Fortunately, she felt a pair of strong arms grabbing her and pulling her out of harm's way. She let out several deep pants before glancing up at her rescuer, a look of mild surprise crossing her features to see it was none other than Mamoru. As much as she wanted to express her deep gratitude, she dared not reveal her secret to him that she could talk.

"Are you all right? You didn't get hurt?" the raven-haired young man asked Luna.

Usagi and her friends finally showed up. When she saw her least favorite person holding _her _cat, she looked as if smoke was about to come out of her ears. "What have you done to her?!" she asked angrily.

Mamoru shook his head, making a tsk sound. It never ceased to amaze him how the blonde was so blinded by her hatred for him that she jumped to conclusions. "I saved her life. If it weren't for me, she would be as flat as a jelly bun. You should be thanking me," he responded calmly.

Usagi rolled her eyes, clearly not buying it. "Yeah right. I'm not as stupid as you think. Come here, Luna!"

Luna leapt out of Mamoru's arms. Usagi made a big show of snatching her up and patting her head protectively.

Just then, Motoki came outside to see what all the commotion was about. He spotted his best friend. "Hello, Mamoru."

"Yo. What's up, Motoki?"

Usagi blinked in surprise at the interaction between the two young men, as it was more than civil. She had been under the impression they hated each other, based on how Mamoru badmouthed the blonde young man for encouraging her to be herself. "Motoki! You know this jerk? He was harassing my kitty before you came out here." She gave her archrival the stare of death.

Motoki ignored the hostility, though. "Yes, I know him. We are best friends and we attend the same college."

Usagi's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets and her mouth dropped open at the fact that Mamoru was college aged. It also assured her that she wasn't crazy to be annoyed by his taunting. _‘He’s too old to be such a bully.’_

(planetarium)

It had been a relief for Nephrite when Beryl commended him for being partially successful, but he knew from the stern warning he received that he would have to step up his game in order to completely please her. _‘I had every intention of doing so.’ _ After all, being turned into a human icicle was _not _a part of his contract. 

Closing his eyes for several moments, the star shitennou cleared his mind of all distractions, preparing to locate his second victim. "The stars know everything. Point me to my next victim.” As he re-opened his eyes, a laser appeared, shooting through the center of his forehead. “A human who is reaching his maximum creative energy output. I shall snatch it to feed the great Queen Metallia..." The stars revealed an image of Mr. Kunitachi working in his garden, at which he gave an evil chuckle. "What's this? It seems Albireo has chosen and will be influencing Kunitachi, the gardener!" The image dissolved.

The trio of henchwomen wrapped their arms around themselves whilst waiting for the chills going down their spines to fade. Ruby got a slightly intrigued expression on her face at seeing the plants the old man tended to in the image. _‘I imagine they are even more beautiful up close. Would love to experience it for myself…hmm.’_

A look of slight longing briefly appeared in the young woman’s eyes, only to disappear as a feeling of annoyance arose within her. _‘Why am I wishing for these things instead of finding a way to use it to my advantage? What’s wrong with me?? Think, girl, think!’ _ She wracked her brain for a solution, her face breaking into a tiny grin as an idea came to her of how she could satisfy her curiosity _and _be of assistance to the star shitennou at the same time. "Master Nephrite, do you want me to gather more information so it would be easier for you to proceed?" There was a bit of an earnest expression on her features, as she figured while the veteran shitennou still had full reins of his plot, she would be able to make herself useful.

Nephrite frowned in thought as he hesitated. He had doubts since he didn’t want to risk the youma endangering herself, but he knew collecting information was one of her specialties, and he saw no harm in it. "Go ahead. Be careful, and return as soon as possible. "

Ruby felt her heart slightly melting at the idea of the star shitennou looking out for her well-being, although it didn’t show on her features. "Aye sir. Thank you for trusting me to carry out this task.” After giving a respectful curtsy, the red head youma disappeared in a swirl of crystal shards.

Nephrite gave an evil smirk. _'It won't be too long before this miserable planet ceases to exist!'_

Ruby transported herself to the park, absorbing her surroundings. Awe crossed her features as she admired the plants and she inhaled a deep breath, releasing it through her nostrils. _‘Ohhh, this is even more breathtaking than I imagined. Who knew humans could preserve their surroundings in such a manner? A pity it’s just a waste of energy and resources as this park will soon be destroyed along with the rest of this planet.' _She chuckled quietly to herself, then got shifty eyes as the urge to talk her master into creating his own garden reared its head. _‘I’m sure Master Nephrite has a way to make it happen…wait! Now is not the time to be worrying about something so trivial! I have a job to do!’_

The crimson-haired youma was instantly brought back to reality. She shook her head, annoyed and embarrassed for allowing herself to get sidetracked, since she was anything _but _a space cadet. She tapped her foot, wrinkling her brow in thought. _‘Now, let’s see…where is that old man? I imagine he can’t be very far.’_ Tearing her eyes away from the flowers, she gazed around the park. A look of mild surprise and satisfaction appeared on her features when she saw him seated on a nearby bench. _‘There he is. Okay, how do I approach him? I know! Politeness should work.’ _ Putting on her friendliest smile, she walked towards the elderly gardener and stopped in front of him, clearing her throat."Excuse me, Mr. Kunitachi."

The old gardener glanced up to see a tall and thin young woman with long wavy dark crimson hair standing over him. He frowned slightly at how unfamiliar she was, then his frown relaxed into a warm smile. "Hello there. What can I do for you?"

For a moment, Ruby looked a bit perplexed at the warmth shown towards her. _‘Note to self—remain focused on the mission at hand.’ _Putting on a nonchalant expression, she responded, “My name is Ruby. I was looking around your garden, and I have to say it's magnificent. I can tell you've put a lot of time and energy into it." She replayed the compliments in her head, amazed by how true they rang when one considered her true intentions.

Despite the feeling of hopelessness, Kunitachi couldn’t help smiling. It always warmed his heart whenever someone was positively impacted by his work, which was another reason he was so infuriated about his superior’s declaration. "Why, thank you. And yes, I _have _worked tirelessly to preserve this park.” His smile faded as he released a sigh of despair. ”Sadly, it has all been for naught."

Ruby’s eyes widened, for she was clearly not expecting to hear that at all. _‘Here I thought gardening was his passion.’_ She tilted her head and asked, "Oh? Why do you say that?"

The old man felt confusion crossing on his features, but then caught himself. _‘Remember, you just met her today,_’ a voice reminded him. He had thoughts about saying never mind, just because of how depressing he found the situation to be. _‘As someone who seems to be appreciative of this attraction, she has the right to know.’ _He reached up a hand to massage his forehead. “Well, in just one week, this park will be demolished and replaced with an office building. The fact that you were able to enjoy it means so much to me.”

Ruby looked positively gobsmacked at hearing that. She never knew humans were capable of destroying their own surroundings. _‘It’s a wonder he seemed so melancholy before…it’s so beautiful, I can almost understand.’_ A flicker of contempt was evident on her features, then she feigned a sympathetic look. "Oh, well, that’s unfortunate,” she remarked with as much regret she could muster. Inwardly she was smirking as she considered how his despair could be exploited. _'Wait until Master Nephrite hears about this.'_

"It certainly is." Kunitachi heaved another sigh.

It was Ruby’s turn to release a sigh, albeit a frustrated one—frustration at both the old man’s passiveness about the matter and the plethora of strange emotions she felt since engaging him in conversation. Not wanting to risk scaring him off, she put on a neutral expression. "Look inside your heart and you will find a way to stop this plan. Thank you for your time, sir."

"Thank _you _for your concern. It would be wonderful if everyone was compassionate like you."

Ruby bit her lip to keep a smirk from escaping. _‘What a naïve, foolish old man._ _If he only knew.’ _ She nodded. "Of course. I will see you later. Remember what I said." She left the garden.

Usagi and her friends were currently at the Crown Arcade for the blonde to squeeze in several rounds of the Sailor V game. Ami stood over her, watching as the moon senshi furiously pressed the controls to defeat the monsters. She smiled slightly, finding it endearing. _‘I hope she eventually shows this much enthusiasm in her studies.’_

It seemed like Usagi was on her way to beating her record when all of a sudden, she was hit and killed by the monster’s attack. She let out a groan of dismay when she saw the words _GAME OVER _flashing across the screen. "Awww man! I love this game, but it's so hard! What am I doing wrong?"

"You just need practice, that's all, and the challenge is good for you," said Ami. She then looked serious. “To be honest, though, are you sure you should be wasting your allowance on things like this? It’s much better to budget your money.”

Usagi’s eyes glazed over at the suggestion. “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” she dragged, pulling out another coin and slipping it in the slot to try again. She put her game face on as she resumed playing. _‘Easy for you to say.** You’re** the Brainiac, not me.’ _As much as she hated to admit it, deep down she knew Ami spoke the truth. _‘She’s definitely right when she says how much I need the practice. It’s hard for **anyone** to get a high score in this game on the first try, and although I’m **still** not very good, I love it too much to just quit.’_

Rei watched the two girls for awhile before shaking her head as if to say how hopeless the blonde was. Motoki wandered over to her, which diverted her attention from them. “Oh, hi Motoki!” she greeted with a bright smile.

“Hi there, Rei,” answered Motoki, returning the smile. "I meant to ask, how did you become Usagi's friend?”

"Oh, we met at the Hikawa Shrine. From the moment we had our first conversation, we just bonded." Rei looked sheepish at the slight exaggeration as she knew there was the time she mistakenly attacked Usagi, which earned her a berating from Naru in the process. _‘Why am I worrying? He doesn’t have to know about that.’ _

Thankfully, Motoki accepted the explanation and just nodded. "Oh, I see. Usagi sure has a way of making you feel like you’ve been a part of her life forever. She has a certain charm to her."

Rei twisted her mouth to the side, making a “hmm” sound. Although she realized she was frequently critical of the blonde, she couldn’t disagree with the young man. "I guess that's true," she conceded. _‘I suppose that’s why I still hang out with her even though her childish antics drive me up the wall.’_ Her mind then landed on Mamoru. _'Oh, he is so dreamy. I want so much to get to know him. I think we would be so perfect for each other.’ _ She rested one foot on the stool, her heart racing as she proceeded to visualize what a possible date would consist of: riding a rowboat, sharing a milkshake, telling him about her life as a shrine maiden in training…

'_Hmm, I wonder if he is any good at martial arts,’ _mused the raven-haired teen, placing a hand beneath her chin with a dazed expression on her face. Unfortunately, her grip was not as firm as she had anticipated, and her foot began to slip. She tried to grab onto the stool to steady herself, but it slid away from her, causing her to tumble to the ground and hit her head.

"No way! I dodged it!" Usagi was heard screaming. Once again, the dreaded words _GAME OVER_ appeared on the screen. Heaving a heavy sigh, she turned to face the blue-haired teen. “Lend me a coin, pretty please,” she pleaded with puppy-dog eyes.

Motoki heard the loud crash, which made him nearly jump a mile. Horror and worry were etched on his features upon noticing Rei lying on the ground, clutching her head. _‘She seemed fine before. I wonder what happened.’ _ He raced over to the ebony-haired teen, kneeling down next to her. "Rei? Are you all right?"

Mr. Kunitachi arose from his spot on the bench, wiping a sweatdrop from his forehead and exhaling a deep breath. He had been pondering Ruby’s advice and her belief that there was a way to put an end to his superior’s selfish scheme. _‘Hmm…could that young lady be right? Is there really a way to stop this? But how?’_ He hated to think the idea had been in front him all along and he didn’t know. A hopeful feeling rose inside of him, but then he recalled how adamant his colleagues and supervisor were. He hung his head, sighing and looking forlorn. "Where is this hope coming from? It’s no use. And I’ll never plant another flower for as long as I live."

"So, you have something against this project?" asked a deep voice rather incredulously.

Kunitachi looked as if he had seen a ghost. He could have sworn he was alone. _‘Apparently not.’ _ He glanced up, his eyes landing on a young man with long wavy chestnut hair standing several feet away from him, wearing an amused expression. He bit back a gulp, not wanting the stranger to sense his uneasiness. "Y-Yes. Nothing matters anymore. May I ask, who are you?"

Nephrite quirked an eyebrow in surprise. He expected more fortitude from the old man, especially after the encounter with his minion. _‘Hmm. Ruby described his countenance as pathetic, which just about fits.’ _ The star shitennou could see he still had some work to do to soften up Kunitachi. _‘It’s fine. Ruby performed her task efficiently. I just have to finish it, and I know just the way.’_ He barely managed to keep an evil smirk from escaping as he replied, "Of course it does. To answer your question, I’m a friend who shares your displeasure. I find it despicable that your colleagues would even _consider_ obliterating this park. It’s an excellent place for children to play and be educated on the laws of nature. I’ve come up with a way to ensure they do."

The old man looked interested as hope sparked within him once again, which outweighed the bewilderment he felt at the fact that Nephrite was so keen on assisting him. "Oh? Which way is that?" he inquired, his eyes full of curiosity.

Nephrite gave Kunitachi a wry smile. "Something I cannot do without your help." _'Or at least your measly human body.'_

"I will gladly help you with whatever it is you have in mind," the elderly gardener blurted out in desperation.

"Good." Nephrite almost added, _“As if you could escape your destiny anyway,” _but he knew he couldn’t say such a thing without scaring away his victim. Masking a devilish grin, he stepped closer to the old man and pressed his palm against the hat, engraving it with the magical crest.

Mr. Kunitachi felt tightness in his chest from the exertion. He groaned like a wounded animal at the energy rush, which turned into a growl when he felt it coursing through his veins.

'_I call upon the power of the star Albireo! Increase this human's anger to its maximum peak of energy!' _Nephrite ordered mentally. He then removed his palm from the old man’s hat, and Mr. Kunitachi let out several ragged pants, trying to catch his breath.

"Now use the energy boost I gave to your anger to teach those conceited, destructive humans about the boons of nature!"

Mr. Kunitachi’s deep brown eyes became cold and full of fury. He mentally cursed, annoyed with himself for not thinking of the solution sooner. _‘I was far too merciful to those miserable humans. Well, never again.’_ His nostrils flaring, he gnashed his teeth and clenched his fists. "Yes master!" he cried out in a gruff, menacing voice as he transferred a portion of his evil energy to the animals. In a rage, a massive swarm of butterflies flew towards the construction site workers and latched onto their backs. _‘What the…?’_ The men clutched their chests as if they were having heart attacks. "Get off of me! Aaaah!" they screamed, squirming and writhing in pain.

Nephrite smirked in delight to see that his victim's anger had climaxed in just a matter of minutes. He almost wished Zoisite was around so he could rub it in the sakura shitennou’s face. _'Excellent. I will capture the energy of both Kunitachi and all those creatures.’_ His smirk then turned cocky as an image of his enemies appeared in his head. _‘With some luck, I will lure in those irritating senshi as well! They won't be so lucky this time! Carrying out this plan was much simpler than I thought.'_ He gave an evil laugh whilst exiting the garden.


	5. Chapter 5

(one week later-after school)

Rei had just finished changing out of her uniform and began to clean up her room, humming to herself. Throughout the entire week, Mamoru had been occupying her thoughts at the most random of moments and there was nothing she wanted more than to be in a relationship with him. _‘Of course I need to get to know him better first, but that’s okay. It’s what I want, anyway.’_

The raven-haired teen shook her head to rid it of such thoughts, not wanting to get distracted. She gathered her scattered manga and proceeded to stack them in a neat pile when a tiny grin formed on her lips from an idea that came to her. _‘Today is the day I’ll make it happen. Too bad I have to clean up this room first…oh, to hell with it! That can wait for a bit.’_ Putting the manga back in her bookcase, Rei slipped on her moccasins and exited her room. She got a sharpie, scribbled on a notepad, pulled the sheet off and stuck it on the refrigerator for her grandfather to see. That done, she walked out the door, down the steps and made her way to the arcade, her heart pounding so loudly that she heard it echoing in her ears.

Soon, Rei spotted Crown Arcade up ahead. Instead of going directly there, she stood in the corner, smiling to herself as she anticipated Mamoru showing up. She became starry-eyed whilst mulling over in her head how she wanted her encounter with him to go. _‘I know! I will pretend to bump into him by accident.’_

_*Daydream begins*_

_Rei kept an eye out for the raven-haired young man, pacing a little to control her anxiety. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath through her nostrils to calm down. As she reopened her eyes, she spotted Mamoru walking in her direction, at which she mentally gave a shout of joy. She went to meet him, but was so giddy with excitement that she ran smack into him. He put an arm around her shoulders._

_When the raven-haired girl realized what she had done, her face turned red with embarrassment and she wanted to disappear. She looked sheepish. "I'm so sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going. Are you all right?"_

"_Yes, better than ever now that I've bumped into a beautiful girl like you. I feel such a connection to you."_

_Rei's eyes lit up. "You really mean that? I'm so happy!"_

"_Me too."_

_*Daydream ends*_

Rei groaned with disappointment when the dream ended. "Oh my. What a dream. It can become a reality if I have faith."

Meanwhile, Usagi walked down the street, eating an ice cream cone with Luna following her. The feline guardian sighed as she watched the blonde scarf down her frozen treat like there was no tomorrow. _‘Seriously, what a slacker and a glutton. Hard to believe she’s the same person who defeated that monster without the other girls.’_ She gave the blonde a reproachful look. "Usagi, don't get too wrapped up in eating that ice cream," she warned. “Not to mention you need to save your money for more important things. “

Usagi placed up her free hand as if to say, _‘Quiet, I’m trying to concentrate,’ _and continued to eat as if she hadn’t heard Luna. _‘Geez, if she’s trying to ruin the taste, it isn’t going to work.’ _She paused in mid-lick as she spotted Rei up ahead. Her cheerful look changed into a frown. "What is Rei up to now?" she questioned.

"It appears she is waiting for someone," answered Luna.

The blonde’s frown grew deeper for a split second, but she finished off her ice cream. She got a sour feeling in the pit of her stomach. Suspicion appeared on her features when she recalled the few times Rei had joked about snatching Tuxedo Kamen and it hit her why the raven-haired teen had been so agreeable earlier. '_Hmm.I thought it was weird when she agreed with me before, since she almost **never** does. I'd better keep an eye on her.' _

Rei continued looking out for Mamoru, glancing at her watch a few times. She rubbed the bridge of her nose and exhaled a slight sigh, leaning against the wall to relieve the pressure on her feet. _‘I guess if he **doesn’t** show, I can always come back tomorrow or even find out from Motoki where he lives. Geez, why didn’t I get his number when I last saw him??’ _

Just as the raven-haired teen was wondering if she should leave her spot to go get an ice cream cone, she spotted Mamoru heading in her direction. Her face lit up like a Christmas tree, whilst her heart raced._ ‘Yes! The Shinto gods must be on my side today.' _ As he came closer, she stood upright and lowered her head, saying a silent prayer. She glanced back up and leapt at him as she had done in her little “dream”. Unfortunately, her timing was off and she tripped over her feet, falling flat on her face. “Owwww.” Her crush stepped on her head by mistake, making her release another groan of pain.

Mamoru heard the cry and he yanked his foot back, peering down at Rei with a contrite look in his eyes. "Oh, I'm so sorry. Are you all right?"

Rei’s face turned as red as a tomato, embarrassed about being far clumsier than she had bargained for. _‘Seriously, I must have spent too much time with Usagi. She’s starting to rub off on me.’ _Suppressing a shudder, the fire senshi got back up, brushing off her skirt. Her heart turned into mush at Mamoru’s concern. "Feeling a little sore, but it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. I am sorry for putting you in such a position."

"It's all right." The raven-haired young man started to walk away.

Rei got a panicked expression on her face and her heart skipped a beat as she realized she might have to wait even longer to fulfill her desire. Knowing she could still catch up with the young man if she made haste, she ran after him. "Mamoru, wait!"

Mamoru stopped in his tracks. “Is something wrong? I don't want to cut this short, but I'm sort of in a hurry."

"Do you have to leave right now? I was thinking we could get a milkshake. I just want to spend some time getting to know you."

Mamoru managed to crack a smile, but it appeared forced. While he _did_ want to become acquainted with the young teen, he didn’t want to cancel his previously planned engagement. "I'm supposed to be meeting someone."

Rei gazed at the young man with puppy dog eyes, but kept her voice calm as she suggested, "In that case, we can do take out." She wasn’t about to let him slip out of her grasp so easily.

Mamoru could see how eager the girl was. He grimaced at the pressure he felt. "Why not? I can always meet the person later."

Rei exhaled a deep breath, her eyes brightening as she knew the answer was yes. “Great!" A small proud-of herself grin formed on her lips. _'My persistence paid off. Go me! Not to mention he's such a sweet guy. Usagi was wrong to judge him the way she did, and I will prove that to her.' _She grabbed Mamoru by the arm and led him to the local café, resting her head on his shoulder for good measure, at which he looked taken aback.

Unbeknownst to the duo, Usagi was watching them. It was bad enough that Mamoru had showed up again, but seeing him with Rei made her stomach churn. She had to resist the urge to retch. "Ugh! What does she think she's doing, hanging all over him? There is no time for this!"

Luna sighed. "Usagi, that is not for you to decide."

"I'm only showing concern for Rei. You know how she's always ragging on me for goofing off but here she is doing the same thing! Let's follow her to make sure she doesn't have _too _much fun." Usagi ran after the pair.

Luna shook her head. "This is hopeless." She sighed again before following the blonde, just to humor her.

(Café Amigo)

Rei and Mamoru sat in a booth together in total silence while waiting for the large chocolate milkshake they had ordered to arrive. Rei briefly gazed into the young man’s cerulean colored eyes, blushing as she peered down at her lap. _‘Is Mamoru really sitting across from me?? This is so unreal! I have waited what seems like forever for this moment, and now it’s finally here.’_ She pinched herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming and had a strong urge to grab his hand as well, but thought better of it, not wanting to scare him away. Looking a bit flustered, she let out a soft giggle as butterflies fluttered around in her stomach. _‘Why do I feel so nervous all of a sudden? That’s not me! Either way, I’d better say something before he thinks I’m wasting his time. I just hope I don’t embarrass myself like before. ‘ _

The raven-haired girl wracked her brain for a sensible question, grinning when one came to her. “So Mamoru, do you have someone you love?" she asked.

Mamoru furrowed his brow as he pondered the question. "No, not right now," he answered.

A mixture of relief and elation appeared on Rei’s features, for it meant the young man was available. She quickly put on her best pokerface to hide her desperation to snatch him. “Neither do I. I am saving myself for the one who is just right for me."

"And one day you _will_ find that special person."

"You really think so?"

"I know so."

"Awwww." A part of Rei wanted to yell out, **_‘You _**_are the one I’m saving myself for,’_ but opted to bite her tongue, as it was such a bold declaration when she was just getting to know Mamoru. _‘I would scare him away for sure with that.’_

Usagi hid among the bushes surrounding the café with Luna next to her making sure she didn’t say or do anything too rash. She watched Rei and Mamoru intently as they accepted the milkshake presented to them, her face turning green at how much closer they seemed. She hated not having a clue what they were talking about.

Usagi let out a groan of frustration, clenching her fists. “They look like they can't stop yapping," she complained. A scowl appeared on her features as she continued, "They had better not be bashing my hairstyle."

Luna, who never liked the idea of the moon senshi spying, replied, "Well, there is nothing you can do about it."

"What do you mean? Sure there is. And I know just the way, too." She gave a sly grin and pulled out her Luna Pen. _‘Maybe I should change my hairstyle for good.’_

Luna got a look of horror on her features upon realizing what Usagi had in mind. "Usagi, put that away!"

"But why?" whined the blonde.

"You know you're only supposed to use the pen for sailor business!"

"I know, but couldn't I use it for non-sailor business just this once?" Usagi didn't feel like running all the way back home just to get a brush or comb, only to miss out if something exciting _did _occur. She scrunched up her brow in thought. _‘Hmm…maybe I’ll just braid it.’ _

"Hi there, Usagi-san. How are things?" greeted a very familiar voice, interrupting the blonde’s musings.

Usagi let out a groan of dismay upon realizing who the voice belonged to. She turned away from Luna to see Umino standing there with a toothy grin plastered on his face. _‘Sheesh, what a sneak. I wonder what he wants this time. Though I have to say, I would rather see him than that obnoxious jerk, Mamoru.’_ It was all she could do not to burst out laughing at how goofy he looked. "Just peachy, if you must know." The blonde sounded grumpy, but she gave the boy a small, devious grin as if she were actually _pleased_ to see him, not caring how selfish her reasons were. She let out an awkward giggle as she thought of a better way to spy on Rei and Mamoru. "Say Umino? Do you have enough money for both of us?"

Umino looked surprised, wondering what brought the question on. "I think so. Why do you ask?"

"Why don't we share a milkshake?"

Umino's face lit up. The fact that Usagi was treating him with respect for a change instead of telling him to get lost sparked a glimmer of hope inside him, which became evident on his features. _‘I hope she agrees to be my girlfriend one day, but this is a start.’_ He smiled at the blonde. "Really? Can we get vanilla with prunes?"

It took everything Usagi had not to make a face of distaste at what she considered an unappetizing combination. She opened her mouth to yell, “No way!” but she didn’t want to appear ungrateful. _‘After all, beggars can’t be choosers and I **do **owe him for giving me a ticket for that cruise.’ _She put on her best amicable smile. "Sure! Whatever you want. It's your money."

Umino grinned widely. "Great!"

Usagi rose to her full height. “Well then, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” She grabbed Umino by the wrist, pulling him along with her. He struggled to keep up, protesting, “Usagi-chan, slow down, would ya?”

Luna groaned in frustration at the blonde’s overexaggerated enthusiasm, shaking her head as if to say, _‘Oh good grief, that girl is so impossible.’ _She got an uneasy feeling as she watched the two teens enter the café, her suspicions about why Usagi was so cheerful with Umino confirmed. She knew the blonde would never be pleased to see the boy unless she wanted something from him. _‘How inconsiderate of her to exploit that boy’s feelings just so she could spy on Rei and Mamoru. Well, I want no part in it.’ _ Heaving an exasperated sigh, the feline guardian went to see what Ami was up to.

Usagi and Umino sat at a booth several seats away from the raven-haired pair. They had just been served their milkshake, Usagi sitting in silence whilst the teen boy took several gulps of the drink. She rose up partially and leaned sideways to listen to the couple, cupping her right ear as she did so.

"Rats! The waiter should have seated us at a table next to Rei and Mamoru! I can’t hear a word they’re saying!" The blonde sounded as if she were about to have a meltdown. Not to mention her sides were beginning to ache from the strain her maneuver placed on them.

Umino shook his head lightly before giving Usagi an amused look. "Never mind that, Usagi-san. Let's just enjoy the milkshake." He took another sip of the shake, enjoying its flavor.

Usagi exhaled a deep breath to calm herself, all the while resisting the urge to retort, “Easy for you to say!” She nodded and readjusted her posture some. "Oh. Right." Anxiety crossed her features, almost as if she were afraid the beverage would be as revolting as it sounded. _‘I hope I don’t regret this.’ _She leaned over and took a sip, making an exaggerated retching noise. She breathed a sigh of relief at the fact that it wasn't quite as bad as she thought it would be, but at the same time she still much preferred her chocolate milkshakes. _‘If only I hadn’t spent the last bit of my money on that ice cream cone.’_

Mamoru laid down several yen bills on top of the cheque, and stood up. Rei got up too, looking hopeful that Mamoru wouldn’t have to leave yet, as there were a few other things she wanted to do with him. A contented look briefly appeared on her features as she reminisced about their conversation, although she had done most of the talking.

"Mamoru? If you don’t have to leave yet, do you want to rent a rowboat and sail across the lake with me?" the fire senshi asked. She sounded a bit hesitant, as if she were afraid the young man would say no.

The raven-haired young man smiled. He had to admit, although he hadn't known Rei for very long, he rather enjoyed her company. "Sure. That would be very nice."

Rei’s eyes brightened as she started grinning like an idiot. "Great!" She grabbed Mamoru by the hand and led him out of the café.

(planetarium)

The magical crest pulsated on Nephrite’s forehead whilst he monitored Kunitachi’s energy level. He gave a smirk of satisfaction at the enormous amount of power he felt. _‘It won’t be too long before his energy peaks, then I can relieve him of it.’_ His lips curled into a confident grin as he anticipated the success of his scheme. Not only would the old man’s life be sacrificed, but his energy would also give Metallia a major power boost, bringing her that much closer to her revival. _‘Those miserable senshi will not escape my trap alive.’_

The star shitennou lowered his head, looking meditative. “Stars, I command you to show me Kunitachi’s current state.” The stars glimmered and projected an image of the old man seated in an office, glaring at a younger gentleman with a mop of dark brown hair sitting across from him.

“HOW DARE YOU EVEN **_THINK _**OF DESTROYING THIS PARK?! YOU WORTHLESS, DESPICABLE HUMANS HAVE NO RESPECT FOR NATURE! DON’T THINK YOUR CRIMES WILL GO UNPUNISHED!” Kunitachi was heard roaring. The image wobbled, signifying the room shaking from the force of the old man’s thundering shout.

Miki let out a slight whistle, marveling at the level of anger displayed. Yukari covered her ears and nearly jumped a mile, her heart pounding from the shock. Once her heartbeat calmed down, she got a look on her face that read, _‘Oh-kaaay,’_ before dropping her arms to her sides. _‘On a serious note, it’s what those miserable humans deserve.’_

Nephrite allowed the image to disappear and smiled evilly. _‘That’s right, Kunitachi. Continue to release your rage. It will be put to much better use.’_

For a moment, Ruby looked shocked at Kunitachi’s anger, then a mixture of glee and awe appeared on her features as he proved to be the perfect pawn. "Well, well, this old man is ruthless for a change, which is refreshing. His gloomy demeanor drained _my_ energy. Once again, you're a genius, Master Nephrite."

“I concur,” Miki spoke up.

“For sure,” chimed Yukari.

Nephrite gave a small cocky smile at the praise he received before chuckling a bit at the youma’s remark about Kunitachi’s demeanor. “Thank you. I appreciate the support. “ His smile faded, and was replaced by a serious expression. "However, you must remember we still have a long way to go before we achieve our victory, so don’t celebrate yet."

Ruby blushed and looked sheepish, lowering her head a little as if she were ashamed before glancing back up. "Of course, sir. Forgive me if I have forgotten my place."

Nephrite gave the red-head youma a look of reassurance. "Not to worry, you haven’t." He couldn’t help smiling at the humility she displayed, as it showed how teachable she was. Not to mention he oftentimes had to tell himself the very same thing. _‘Come to think of it, our personalities are very much alike.’ _

Ruby smiled in relief and then conjured a crystal ball, handing it to the star shitennou. "Here you go. As you may have guessed, I have more than enough for this mission."

Nephrite nodded in understanding as he took the crystal ball. “I see. Thank you.”

Ruby smiled. “My pleasure.” 

The park owner looked shocked at Kunitachi’s outburst. He studied the old man’s countenance, just narrowly holding back a shiver at the fury in his eyes, the flaring of his nostrils and the murderous glare he received. _‘Not to mention his threat is beyond worrisome.’ _It was those very same things that kept him from declaring his decision was final.

The younger gentleman exhaled a loud sigh and wearily brought up a hand to massage his forehead. He shot another glance at Kunitachi, gulping upon noticing the glare was still on his features. _‘Another week of this and I’ll quit my job for sure.’_ He raised both arms up in surrender. “Fine. You win. This park will not be torn down, and whatever has already been destroyed will be replaced.”

"Hmph!" was all Kunitachi would reply. Despite his grumpy demeanor, a smug smirk threatened to escape at the fact that his boss finally managed to see things his way. He looked pensive as his mind landed on Nephrite and Ruby. _‘Thanks to those two youngsters, I now have the ability to punish those who dare to abuse nature.’ _

The office then became completely silent, save for the sound of the air condition running. The park owner made a choking sound at the tension between him and Kunitachi, which the latter merely ignored. _‘Man, this room is starting to feel stuffy. I’d better get out of here before I choke to death._’ He rose up and exited the office, exhaling a deep breath. _‘I feel so much better. But I need a smoke._’

Reaching into his pants pocket, the gentleman pulled out a pack of cigarettes and took one out. He reached into his other pocket, pulled out his lighter, ignited the cigarette and stuck it in his mouth, sucking on it. Removing the cigarette, he exhaled a gust of smoke and gazed around the park with a sullen expression on his face. It was all he could do not to start pulling the plants up and stomping on them. “Preserving this park is a pain in my neck. I only told that old man I would leave it up to get him off my case. And I don’t believe the stories of people being attacked by birds, squirrels and butterflies. There’s no such thing,” he grouched aloud. He stuck the cigarette in his mouth again, pulled it out and exhaled another gust of smoke, making another face of disgust. _‘I’m sick of looking at these weeds. I’m heading back inside.’ _ He tossed the cigarette on the ground and walked away. A scurry of squirrels felt their nostrils being penetrated by the stench of the smoke. They circled around the cigarette like a pack of hungry ravenous wolves, their eyes glowing bright crimson and full of fury. They pounced on the man’s back, sinking their sharp teeth into him. He nearly had a heart attack at the abruptness of the action, letting out a screech at the searing pain tearing through his back as he broke into a frantic run.

Ami, who happened to be in the park with Luna draped over her shoulder, heard the loud scream and looked startled by it. _‘Someone is in trouble.’_ The old man’s words,_ “From now on, you can’t visit this park whenever you want”, _echoed through her mind several times, causing a deep frown to cross her features as its true meaning resonated with her. _‘He’ll probably be furious about me being here, but that’s really not him to begin with. Something is not right.’_ She gazed around the park to see where the scream was coming from, her eyes growing wide in horror when she saw a man running with a bunch of squirrels attached to him. "What on earth….?" She knew squirrels could be dangerous creatures when provoked, but she had never seen them be so vicious on such a level. A shiver went down her spine at the dip in temperature caused by the evil aura radiating from the creatures. _‘Now I **know** something is going on.’_

The man continued to run as if he were a chicken with its head cut off. "Get off me you rodents! I’m sorry! I’m never coming near this park again!!!" Blood trickled down his back from the bite marks, leaving a trail on the ground.

Luna looked aghast at the amount of blood spilling, then became stone faced when she saw another scurry of squirrels circling around each other with their eyes glowing red. "I sense evil from those squirrels. I believe these events are a work of the Dark Kingdom."

Ami nodded, looking grim. “I believe so as well. I also sense evil, not to mention Mr. Kunitachi’s change in behavior. "

"This needs further investigation. We had better contact Rei and Usagi."

"Yes, before it’s too late."

Mamoru and Rei sailed along the lake, enjoying the cool and gentle breeze. Rei released a blissful sigh as she admired the clear blue sky, not to mention the fact that her dream had become reality. She didn't want the moment to ever end, yet she knew it had to. She peered down at her lap, allowing her bangs to hang over her eyes._ ‘Oh well…at least I was able to go on my dream date with Mamoru before the park is destroyed, and I know there are other parks. Besides, moping won’t solve anything.’ _

Rei glanced back up, brushing her bangs away from her face. "Oh Mamoru...this lake is so beautiful.”

"It certainly is," the young man agreed.

Rei smiled at Mamoru, then her smile faded to be replaced by a crestfallen expression. Before Mamoru could ask what was wrong, she explained, "Sadly it won't be here for long. Soon, the park owner will fill the lake with concrete and this park will be torn down to be turned into an office building."

Mamoru gave a look that was between shock and sympathy. "That's terrible."

The raven-haired teen girl gave a sad sigh. "I know." What she hated more than the actual deed was feeling powerless to stop it, although it wasn’t for lack of trying. _‘I can only do so much. If they wouldn’t listen to Mr. Kunitachi, who’s to say they’ll listen to my grandpa or me, a teenager? I have to say, though, Mamoru’s company is a good distraction.’ _ Her eyes brightened and her lips quirked up at still having time to enjoy the attraction. "Do you want to look at the flowers after this?"

"Sure. I would especially like to see the rose garden before it is destroyed."

"Sounds like a plan." Rei twisted her mouth to the side as Mamoru’s wish struck a chord in her enough to compare the parallels between him and Tuxedo Kamen. _'Wait a second…Tuxedo Kamen likes roses too. Not to mention they look even **more **alike now that I’ve seen Mamoru up close. It can’t just be a coincidence. Usagi doesn’t know what she’s talking about!’_ She bit her lip to prevent a smug grin from escaping. “Let’s go!” She grabbed the young man by the hand, leading him away.

After Usagi and Umino had finished their milkshake, they went to the park, taking a stroll through the woods. Usagi had allowed the teen boy to walk ahead of her, opting to keep a distance between them both. She maintained the distance while continuing to spy on Mamoru and Rei, for she didn’t want to risk him getting the wrong idea or making advances on her. _‘If he thinks we’re going steady, he’s totally bonkers! He’s so not my type. The only reason I’m putting up with him today is so I can spy on those two rats.’_

The blonde’s face turned green and her stomach proceeded to wrench around at the sight of the couple on the rowboat. "Ugh, just look at those two. If they kiss, I swear I'm gonna hurl!"

Umino became gooey eyed whilst his face turned bright red. "Now that you've mentioned it, I know the perfect thing we can do while we're in the woods. I must show my love to you by means of a kiss." He puckered his lips.

Usagi looked at the love-struck boy as if he were insane and rolled her eyes. "I don't think so. I'm not desperate." She turned on her heel and bolted through the woods, her long pigtails flying behind her. She very faintly heard Umino crying after her, “Usagi-san, wait! Where are you going?”

Usagi ran until she was back in the garden, heaving several deep breaths. _‘Whew. That was **too **close for comfort.’ _She shuddered and felt her skin crawl when her mind landed on what Umino had intended to do. _‘Geez! So forward and delusional!’_ Gazing around the garden to make sure the teen boy hadn’t somehow caught up with her, she breathed a huge sigh of relief when she saw Ami approaching her, and ran to meet the blue-haired teen.

Ami gave the blonde a reserved smile. “Hi there, Usagi-san!”

Usagi smiled back. "Hiya, Ami-chan! I am so glad to see you. Umino is so creepy."

"Oh Usagi. You really should treat that young man with more respect," groaned Luna. “There’s no excuse for your feelings toward him. As far as I know, he has done _nothing _to you.”

"Listen Usagi, did you see any of the animals behaving strangely?" asked the ice senshi.

Usagi frowned. "No....what do you mean?"

Ami was about to explain when all of a sudden, she was interrupted by a very loud gruff sounding voice asking, “What are you doing here?” She, Luna and Usagi glanced up, releasing gasps of horror to see it was Mr. Kunitachi. They flinched at the menacing glare he wore.

"No one's allowed in my park!” the old man boomed, his eyes glowing bright red. "I'm going to teach you foolish humans about the boons of nature, which you will learn through your deaths!" He released a mighty shout as energy ribbons poured from his hat, swirled around him. The magical crest materialized on his forehead and began flashing.

The girls and Luna could only stare agape when their suspicions were confirmed. Usagi shivered at the blank look in the man’s eyes. “Ooooo, scary,” she whimpered.

(planetarium)

Nephrite grinned evilly at the surge of power he sensed from his victim’s wrath. "All right Petasos, unleash your fury!" As if on cue, he made himself invisible before teleporting to the garden and collecting the energy with the crystal ball provided to him. He watched with a smirk of triumph as Kunitachi collapsed from the loss of energy and the hat fell off his head. His hair turned snow-white, his complexion began to grow pale and the wrinkles became more visible, to the extent where he resembled a withered prune. A plant like humanoid youma with purple skin, red eyes, green rope-like hair and elven ears arose from his hat, releasing a shrill cackle.

Nephrite had to resist the urge to unleash a cruel laugh at the man’s appearance, lest he knew it would blow his cover. Instead, he eyed the man with a cold expression on his features. _‘Farewell, Kunitachi. Thank you for your assistance. Finally after wasting so many years, your energy will be put to better use.’_ He retreated to his mansion, scrutinizing the captured energy with an evil smile. _‘Just as I thought. These human emotions are even more powerful than their obsessions. Beryl should be pleased with this energy.’_ However, he knew he had to destroy the senshi in order to completely please the witch queen. He glanced up at the plant based youma. _‘Petasos is considerably more powerful than Tesuni. She should be able to defeat the senshi with very little trouble. I hope she does. Now to deliver this energy to Queen Beryl.’ _ Crystal ball in hand, the star shitennou disappeared in a swirl of brownish red light.

(Juuban Park)

Ami gave a panicked gasp at Kunitachi’s lifeless appearance. There was no doubt in her mind he would die if he remained in such a state for too long, given his age. _‘Not to mention his heart would be severely strained.’_ Tears stung at the corner of her eyes at the thought of losing her friend. "Oh no! Mr. Kunitachi!"

Petasos sneered at Ami. "Forget about that pathetic old fool!" she scoffed. "His life will be over soon." With a war cry, she launched a barrage of birds at the teen girls.

Ami got a look of disbelief on her features. First it was possessed squirrels, now possessed birds. _‘I won’t let this madness continue.’_ She turned to the plant youma with a glare. "I won't let you kill him!" Running away from the youma’s view, she hid behind some bushes to transform. “Mercury Power, Make Up!”

Usagi took one look at the old man and the birds, then hid behind the bushes to transform as well, wanting to stop the madness just as badly as her friend did. "Moon Prism Power, Make Up!"

Rei and Mamoru sat in silence, enjoying the atmosphere. Rei was about to comment on how peaceful things seemed when all of a sudden Mamoru clutched at his head, releasing several grunts.

The fire senshi first looked alarmed upon hearing the obvious pain behind Mamoru’s groaning, then glanced up at him with concern and worry etched on her features. She began to reach out a hand to grab his, but pulled it back at the last minute. “What’s the matter? Are you feeling sick?"

Mamoru removed his hand from his forehead, giving the raven-haired girl a reassuring smile. "It's nothing." A pang of guilt hit him in the chest for the white lie, but truth be told, he still had trouble understanding the discomfort himself. _‘Not like she would believe me, anyway.’_

Rei studied the young man’s face as if she were trying to determine whether he was being truthful or not. She still saw a hint of pain in his eyes despite the fact that he appeared to have recovered, but she opted not to press the issue. _‘Plus, it would probably freak him out if I started fussing over him.’_ She drew her lips in a line. "Well…if you say so."

Before Mamoru could respond, a flock of birds flew at him and Rei with such force that the boat capsized, throwing both of them into the river. They rose from the pond with their hair, clothes and shoes dripping wet. Both of them appeared shaken, but otherwise there were no visible injuries.

Rei coughed a bit, shaking her hair dry. _‘Hopefully I won’t get sick.’ _She stood there with a “what just happened?” expression on her face before turning to her male companion. "Mamoru? Are you all right?" she asked.

"I am more worried about you,” came the response. A puzzled frown then crossed Mamoru’s features. “I don't understand. Nature used to be such a beautiful thing, but now it seems to have turned against us."

Rei nodded in agreement. "It sure seems that way." She glanced up, gasping in horror when she noticed a massive blanket of darkness. Her blood ran cold at its eeriness and she got an unsettling feeling in her stomach, which worsened when she recalled the attack from the birds. _‘I didn’t tell Mamoru this, but I sensed evil coming from those birds when they tipped over the boat.’_ She directed her attention back to the young man. "I hate to cut this date short but there is something important I have to do. I will be back as soon as I can."

Petasos sneered as she scrutinized the superheroines. _‘So these weak little girls are the nosy senshi Master Nephrite warned me about. Crushing them should be a piece of cake.’_ She gave another cackle. "You wimpy senshi don't stand a chance against the power of nature!" Using her telekinetic powers, she manipulated the butterflies and squirrels. The squirrels pounced on Luna whilst the butterflies flew towards Mercury and Moon.

The two girls screamed loudly as the butterflies landed on them and proceeded to poke them. They gritted their teeth and squirmed, trying to pluck the creatures off, but were fruitless in their efforts. It was all the moon senshi could do not to cry at the fact that such wonderful creatures were acting so viciously. _‘It’s not fair!’ _

Petasos laughed cruelly as she listened to the girls' cries of pain. It was music to her ears. _‘They were fools to challenge me._’ She watched with an amused smirk whilst Luna struggled with the squirrels. The feline guardian rolled around trying to get the rodents to loosen their vice-like grip, but to no avail.

In the midst of the discomfort, Sailor Mercury got a concentrative expression as she wracked her brain for a solution._ ‘We have to stop that monster or we’ll be finished, and Mr. Kunitachi will die.’ _ The ice senshi became misty-eyed for a second before resolve and determination crossed her face. "Shabon Spray!"

The barrage of bubbles created a fog, which engulfed the plant youma and was enough to pry the butterflies off the senshi. It also made the squirrels release their hold on Luna, at which she let out a deep breath. Petasos wrapped her arms around herself, clenching her teeth to keep them from chattering.

Moon pumped a fist of triumph whilst Mercury turned to face the creature with a stone-cold look. “What have you done to Mr. Kunitachi?" she demanded to know.

"And why are the animals going berserk?" added Moon with an air of sternness.

Petasos shot the girls another sneer. “Why? To teach you a lesson the hard way! Pollen Power!" The weed- like monster thrust out a flower. The petals opened and a mass of bright green weeds coiled around Moon.

"Aaaaah, what is this? I can't move my arms!" the blonde senshi wailed. She mentally kicked herself for not moving out of the way in time.

Petasos howled in delight and faced the ice senshi with a sly grin on her lips. "Your turn! Petasos Rope!" She extended her vine-like hair and wrapped it around Mercury, entangling her. She screeched and tried to move her arms in order to break free, but it was futile.

Moon’s eyes grew wide with fear when she saw her friend was also trapped. "Mercury! No!" She lowered her head, releasing a whimpering sound. She hated feeling so helpless and useless. _‘The thing is I know exactly how to save her, but I can’t do it while I’m like this. Hmm, I wonder if Luna is faring any better.’ _She knew the feline would at least be able to free her and Mercury, as well as hold the monster off temporarily. With a look of hope on her child-like features, her eyes landed on her guardian, who appeared dazed by the assault from the squirrels. "Luna, please snap out of it! We need your help and fast!"

Petasos just laughed at the moon senshi. "No one can save you now! It's all over for you!"

Mercury continued trying to break free of the vines, as she believed giving up was not an option. She shot a quick glance at her elderly friend, her face becoming ashen to see he was becoming paler by the second. "Oh no! Mr. Kunitachi won't last much longer! But I can't help him like this!" She shut her eyes, squeezing them tight as she hoped for a miracle. _‘At this rate Mars and Tuxedo Kamen are our best bets.’ _

All of a sudden, a fireball swirled toward the senshi, followed by a cry of, “Fire Soul!”, at which Mercury’s eyes jolted open, just in time to see the attack break the weeds in half with a loud pop. She gave a cry of pain at the searing pain from the flames, but was inwardly smiling upon realizing Sailor Mars had arrived.

The moon senshi dramatically dropped to the ground and rolled around to put the fire out, sniveling like a wounded dog.

Mars appeared and landed on her feet with precision. "Are you all right?"

Moon had to admit, she would not be free had it not been for Mars, but she still couldn’t resist shooting the fire senshi a dirty look. "I am just super, thanks to you!" she answered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Were you trying to kill me or something?"

Mars gave the moon senshi a reproachful look, obviously peeved at her ingratitude. "Can't you say thank you for a change?"

Moon was about to snap back, but Mercury shook her head as if to say, _‘Now is not the time_._’ _ The girls kept their mouths shut, instead shooting each other grumpy looks.

Mars broke her stare with the blonde, refusing to let herself be distracted. "Let's dispose of this overgrown weed!" She glared at Petasos. "I am the sailor senshi of love and passion, Sailor Mars!"

"I am the sailor senshi of love and intelligence, Sailor Mercury!" announced the ice senshi.

"In the name of Mars and Mercury, we will punish you!"

Sailor Moon stared at her friends with disbelief on her face before looking hurt by their hastiness. "Hey! We're supposed to be a team!" she whined.

Petasos scowled at Sailor Mars for daring to interrupt her, then her scowl turned into a diabolical grin as she considered a way to use it to her advantage. After all, she knew her master would be pleased if she got rid of all of them. She gave the three girls a derisive look. "If you pathetic senshi think you can defeat me, you're more foolish than I thought! Your powers are positively miniscule!" She conjured another flower, thrusting it out to bind all three girls with her deadly vines. However, before she could unleash her attack, a petal from a red rose hit her in the head, taking her by surprise and making her scream at the top of her lungs.

Sailor Moon’s eyes lit up when she saw the rose stuck to the ground and the petal hitting Petasos, as she knew Tuxedo Kamen had arrived. _‘What great timing, too!’ _She gazed up to see him standing on a tree branch. “Tuxedo Kamen-sama!” she squealed, her heart racing.

The caped hero offered the lovestruck girl a small smile before allowing it to fade. "Believe in your strength, Sailor Moon and you can defeat her! You must never lose hope.”

The moon senshi felt her heart melting at the words of encouragement. She had to pinch herself to keep from fangirling. Wasting very little time, she removed her tiara and threw it at Petasos. "Moon Tiara Action!"

The plant-like youma froze in fear when she saw the weapon heading in her direction, her eyes bulging out upon realizing she couldn’t move. "Aaaaah!" she screeched as the tiara sliced her in two. Within minutes she was reduced to ashes.

Tuxedo Kamen gave the senshi a congratulatory smile, then looked serious. "If you girls have faith in yourselves and in your powers, you can defeat your foes, no matter how strong they are. Never forget that. Farewell for now." With a flick of his cape, he left.

Sailor Moon got a dreamy look on her face as she stared after the masked hero. "Oh, I wish I could have him as my soulmate," she sighed, red hearts popping out of her eyes.

"You guys! We haven't exactly won!" pointed out Mercury.

Moon shot her friend a confused frown, for she had just turned the youma into moon dust. “What are you talking about, Mercury?” she asked.

"What do you mean, we haven't won?" questioned Mars. "The monster is gone."

"That may be, but while the animals are back to normal, Mr. Kunitachi is still unconscious."

Moon looked to see what Mercury meant, letting out a gasp when she noticed the old man's condition had not improved at all. "You're right! But how can that be? Defeating the monster should have returned his energy."

"I know, but as you may recall, it isn't the first time this has happened. Remember, Rui's energy had not returned immediately, either, and she had to be hospitalized."

"I remember." The blonde senshi breathed a sigh of relief at the fact that Rui had completely recovered. _‘As much as I want Mr. Kunitachi to heal as well, that won’t happen unless he receives help, like right now.’_ She wrung her hands, looking glum.

Mars had been quiet for a bit because she was trying to process what had happened, but then began to shake with rage. _‘This is the second person who has had their energy sucked dry without it being returned afterwards. What’s worse is I don’t know who’s doing it, and how. I’ll find out, though.’_ Her nostrils flaring, she clenched her fists. "When I get my hands on whoever did this, I'm going to deal with them in the most painful way," she vowed through clenched teeth, cracking her knuckles for emphasis.

Moon shivered and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the frightening image before her. “Ooo, I hate it when she’s like this. Make it stop,” she squeaked.

Mercury looked a bit taken aback at Mars’ outburst, although she half expected it. Still, the level of anger made her eyes fill with worry, given the fire senshi’s tendency to sometimes go too far. "Now, now Mars, I understand your anger, but revenge will not get us anywhere. We do need to get to the bottom of this, but the most important thing right now is helping Mr. Kunitachi, and we have to do it quickly. He will die if he stays like this."

Mars released a grunt, but unclenched her teeth, for her jaw was beginning to ache. She exhaled a heavy sigh. "I suppose you're right.”

The moon senshi reopened her eyes and blew out a sigh of relief. "So how do we help him?" she asked.

Mercury tapped her chin in thought. A firm expression appeared on her face as she came up with a course of action. "I'll give him some of my life energy. While it may be risky and dangerous, it’s the quickest way at this point."

Mars made a “hmm” sound before twisting her mouth to the side. She shuddered at the mere thought of letting someone have her energy, but shook her head to shut down the selfish way of thinking. _‘You’re doing it for a good cause. He desperately needs it,’ _a voice reminded her. "Well, in that case, count me in.”

"Me too," chimed Moon. “Let’s do it!”

Mercury looked pleased that the girls were accepting of her idea without any arguments, and were even willing to join her, which she didn’t expect. “Good. Now come on. There’s no time left.”

The three senshi wandered over to Mr. Kunitachi, stooping down next to him. Moon and Mars rested their hands on his shoulders, whilst Mercury rested her hands on his back. Energy immediately began to pour from them into him. At one point Mercury closed her eyes as if she were meditating. _‘Please let this work. I can’t lose him,’_ she mentally pleaded.

The girls continued transferring their energy to the gentleman, removing their hands from him when they felt themselves slumping over in weakness. They took a few moments to catch their breaths, then checked to see whether the maneuver made any difference or not. Moon clasped her hands together. _‘I hope so.’ _ Both relief and delight crossed her features to see color slowly returning to his hair and skin. “Hey guys! Look!”

Mars and Mercury looked to see what the blonde senshi was referring to, their expressions matching hers upon realizing their efforts were indeed successful. Mars gave a cheerful smile. “You’re right!”

Mr. Kunitachi began to stir. His eyes fluttered open, and he carefully sat up, letting out a groan as he rubbed at his throbbing forehead. Mercury put an arm around him to hold him up, eliciting a weak smile. His smile faded and was replaced by a confused frown. "What happened?" he asked hoarsely.

The ice senshi furrowed her brow as she came up with an explanation that was true, yet wouldn’t confuse her elderly friend or make him think she was crazy. “You were overworked by some people who were only looking out for themselves.” She paused, noting apprehension crossing the gardener’s features. “However, you’re safe now, so there’s no need to worry.”

(planetarium)

The stars disappeared, leaving the observatory unit in darkness, at which Nephrite and Miki looked stunned. Miki pinched the bridge of her nose in disgust as the realization hit her that another of her master’s plans had been foiled. While she somewhat accepted Tesuni’s defeat since the tennis-themed youma was weaker, she had hoped the issue would have been nipped in the bud with a considerably stronger monster. _‘Constantly being outsmarted by a handful of little girls could become old rather quickly…not to mention Beryl…or even that slimy git, Zoisite…’_

The youma cringed as she envisioned the witch queen launching into one of her lengthy tirades, not to mention Zoisite’s gloating. "Good grief, what will it take to dispose of those annoying girlie girls?" she pondered aloud.

Nephrite appeared undeterred, save for a tinge of dissatisfaction on his features. He gave Miki a reassuring smile. "Not to worry. It won't be long before they are obliterated forever. They may have thwarted yet another plan, but their luck is bound to run out sooner or later.” He knew he would have to become even more relentless with his enemies, but it was no problem for him. _‘There is a way to defeat those pathetic senshi, and I won’t rest until I find it. If I must destroy them myself, so be it.’ _Not that he was afraid to get his hands dirty, given his superior skills.


	6. Chapter 6

(Juuban Junior High—Home Economics)

Miss Akiyama drew a fabric design on the chalkboard before sketching short lines on it. She then turned to face the eighth-grade class, prompting everyone to stop whispering, rest their pencils down and focus their eyes on her as they waited for her to address them.

“All right, class. Do you see these lines I’ve drawn on the design?” inquired the teacher.

The students glanced up at the fabric on the blackboard to see the dotted lines the blue-haired woman was referring to. “Yes Akiyama-sensei!” they all chorused. 

“Well, these lines are called darts. To create them, use your needle point to cut the fabric of your choice, but be very careful. It would be advisable to use a ruler as a measuring tool to ensure you cut the correct length. Once these darts are created, you are free to combine it with the other piece of fabric and sew them together,” explained Miss Akiyama. She sounded very drained and dazed during the entirety of her lecture, not to mention there was a faraway look on her face.

The students frowned at the lack of vigor in their teacher’s tone, then some of them broke into rumblings amongst themselves. Usagi felt her eyes becoming heavy whilst her mind wandered. She picked up the pencil, drawing the dotted lines on the design as fast as she could. Her eyes then began to droop, and she rocked in her seat as if she were intoxicated. Stifling a massive yawn, she rested the pencil back down, placed her arms on the desk and dropped her head down, allowing sleep to claim her.

At this, giggles, whispers and snickers erupted among a large portion of her classmates, whereas Naru rolled her eyes as if to say, _‘Seriously Usagi? It’s not **that **bad.’_ While she had seen the blonde fall asleep in class many times, there had never been so much drama put into it before. _‘That was rude.’_

Miss Akiyama’s voice cut through the chatter as she asked, “Do you have any questions?”

Usagi had a blissful expression on her face before appearing a bit restless as she dreamt about her favorite goodies. She temporarily roused out of her slumber, just in time for the teacher’s question to reach her brain. "Yes. Can I have another chocolate parfait, please?" she moaned sleepily. Several students snickered at that.

Naru shot a side-ways glance at her half-asleep best friend, shaking her head while biting her lip to keep from losing it in laughter. In all honesty, she had to pinch _herself_ to remain awake and alert. _‘That Usagi-chan. All jokes aside though, something is different about Akiyama-sensei.’_ She averted her eyes towards the teacher with a look of concern etched on her features."Akiyama-sensei, are you feeling all right?" she asked.

Miss Akiyama smiled at the red-head, then got a dreamy look on her face as she released a blissful sigh. "Oh I'm just fine, Naru." Her cheeks were slightly flushed.

Naru frowned a bit, unsure whether she should believe the teacher or not. However, she opted not to press the issue, figuring Miss Akiyama had her reasons. _‘Maybe she **is** telling the truth about nothing being wrong, but **something’s** going on with her, I know that much. Oh well. It’s not my business.’_ She finished copying down the diagram and spent a few moments studying it whilst replaying the teacher’s instructions. _‘Hmm. Pretty straightforward. I wonder if Usagi-chan will catch onto it quickly. Probably not, considering she was half asleep at the time.’_ She shot another glance at the blonde, fighting the urge to make a squeamish face at how she was drooling all over her notebook page. _‘Really, Usagi-chan?? Nasty!’ _ Reaching out a hand, she shook the girl awake.

Usagi stirred a bit and blinked several times before looking at the red-head through half-lidded eyes. “Wha?” she mumbled.

“Wake up! You’re drooling all over your notebook!” Naru whispered loudly.

The blonde groaned, turned her head over, and made a shoo gesture with her hand before closing her eyes again.

Naru shrugged her shoulders, breathing a heavy sigh. _‘Oh well. Can’t say I didn’t try. At least I got her to stop drooling, though_. _Seriously, if she had kept it up, I would have thrown up in my mouth.’ _She turned away from Usagi and reached into her desk for her Home Economics textbook, placing it on top of her notebook. Opening the book, she flipped through the pages, stopping when she came across a similar topic to what they were presently covering, and began to read. She wanted to have a head start in case Miss Akiyama gave an assignment on it in the near future. _‘It’ll pay off, I’m sure.’_

_RIIIIING! _went the final bell.

A collective sigh of relief came from a large portion of the class at the sound they had long been awaiting. Usagi sat up with a jolt, rubbing her eyes and patting her cheeks before releasing another yawn. She felt a few eyes on her, at which she merely shrugged. It was now _her _turn to sigh in relief. _‘Finally. As much as I love Home Economics, today’s class was just as bad as Math and English, both of which I can’t stand.’_

All of a sudden Usagi a tap on her shoulder. She turned to see her best friend handing her a folded piece of paper. Taking the note from her friend, she unfolded it to read. It said: _“Hey, Usagi-chan! Want to get ice cream?” _ Her eyes brightening, she picked up her pencil, scribbling back: _“You bet!”_, then returned it to Naru.

Naru read the response, gave a thumbs up sign and stuffed it in her pencil case. Just as she was about to return to her reading, Miss Akiyama cleared her throat, prompting her and the remainder of the students to face the older woman.

“For your homework assignment, I want you to review what we discussed in class today. All the steps I’ve mentioned are in your textbook. Next time we meet, I will have you attempt to design an article of clothing.” The teacher used the piece of chalk to point at the design she had drawn on the blackboard. “I take it this has been copied down?”

“Yes, Akiyama-sensei,” the students answered in unison.

Miss Akiyama gave a slight smile. “Good. You may go now.” She picked up the eraser to clean off the board.

“Yay!” several of the boys, along with Usagi, cheered. The blonde had to resist the urge to get up and start doing her happy dance. _‘Not like I have the energy to, anyway. I need a major sugar rush to wake me up.’_

Naru looked appalled, especially when her best friend had joined in. “Guys!” she protested with a strong emphasis on the y. However, there was a hint of laughter in her voice.

The blue-haired woman appeared unfazed. Instead, she continued clearing off the blackboard, scrubbing as hard as she could to make sure she got all the marks.

The students cleared off their desks, packed up their belongings, got up from their seats, grabbed their bags and raced out of the classroom.

Miss Akiyama watched as the students left, then chuckled softly to herself. Humming, she began to clear off her own desk and pack up, her cheeks turning bright red. _‘If they only knew what’s going on.’_

(Café Amigo)

Usagi and Naru sat at an outside table after they were served their ice cream cones. They spotted Umino at a nearby table from the corner of their eyes, but kept their expressions nonchalant. _‘It’s a free world, after all. As long as he doesn’t say or do anything dumb, I don’t care.’_

Usagi leaned back in her chair, releasing a contented sigh at the relaxing feel of the cool air. Stretching out her legs, she yawned loudly before turning to her best friend. "Sorry I’m not my perky self. It’s just that Home Ec was so boring today. Don't you think so?"

Naru gave the blonde an understanding look. "It’s fine. And yes, it was. I wonder what's wrong with Miss Akiyama. She is usually so enthusiastic about sewing." She was about to start eating her ice cream when all of a sudden, Umino popped up between her and Usagi, asking, "Want to hear today's gossip?"

The girls nearly dropped their ice cream cones at the teen boy’s sudden appearance. They turned to him with exasperated looks on their faces. "Umino Gurio, why do you always show up unexpectedly?!" they yelled in unison.

And Usagi added, "Just be glad you didn't make me spill my ice cream, Buster!" She proceeded to devour the frozen treat.

Umino winced at the berating he received from his classmates, then heaved a sigh of relief that at least they didn’t hit him. _‘It’s scary when they do. I’m sure they won’t scoff at me this time, though.’_ He shot the girls his best tantalizing grin. "I have big news. I know what's behind Miss Akiyama's daze. You see, she is still single at the age of 34, but that will change soon. All her adult life she had been waiting for the right man, and she wants to be able to afford the nicest fabric for her dream dress."

_*Flashback begins*_

_A petite middle-aged man with a receding hairline approached Miss Akiyama, holding out a bouquet of roses. His palms became sweaty, and his heart raced as he admired her kind, beautiful face. _

"_Higure-san, I know I am a lowly business man with no savings and I cannot give you a very big wedding or reception, but would you do the honor of marrying me?" The gentleman’s stomach did flip flops whilst he awaited her response, gazing lovingly into her eyes to show the affection he had for her. _

_Higure’s eyes widened with shock as she released a slight gasp. Tears of joy filled her eyes and warmth from a blazing fire surged through her heart. "Oh of course I'll marry you." She took the bouquet from him, at which he released a happy sigh. They embraced each other, the man feeling as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. _

_*Flashback ends*_

"Isn't that great news?" asked Umino. "That's what I call true love."

Naru’s green-blue eyes opened wide and she made an “Ohhh” sound as she learned what caused the change in her teacher’s behavior. "So that’s what’s going on. Well, it’s wonderful news. I’m so happy for her. " The red head got a dreamy expression on her face whilst visualizing the proposal. _‘So romantic…’_ She felt a tiny drop of ice cream land on her index finger, making her gasp as she realized it was melting. She proceeded to lick the dripping parts, then used a napkin to clean off her finger before slowly making work of the remainder of the dessert.

Usagi got a dreamy look on her face at the idea of marriage, which was fleeting as she pondered the woman’s ideals. She then scrunched up her brow, twitching her nose like a furry animal. "Yeah, that’s real nice and all, but _I_ plan to get married to my Mr. Right before I'm 25. Also, my wedding will be fancy!" She raised her cone high in the air for emphasis, a melted drop of ice cream landing on her head with a splat, at which she groaned in dismay. “Just great…”

(Juuban Azabu Dressmakar)

Miss Akiyama stood outside the fabric shop, eyeing the cloth on display. She furrowed her brow in thought as she closely examined it. The fabric was lavender, silky, sleek and elegant, but not especially exquisite. She released a heavy sigh, reaching up a hand to comb through her bangs.

'_Oh dear…time is running out and I still haven't found anything. I suspect all the beautiful ones are sold out. I should have bought it when I first accepted the proposal. I really don’t want to have to settle for something simple. Not for this grand occasion. Maybe I should check a different store. '_

Miss Akiyama turned away from the lengthy fabric and started to walk away when she heard footsteps and a familiar voice asking, "Higure-san?”, making her stop in her tracks. She spun back around to see Miss Haruna, a tiny smile forming on her lips. "Well, hello, Sakurada-san,” she greeted. “What brings you here?"

"Oh, just to see how you are. How come you didn't tell me you were set to wed?" Miss Haruna looked slightly hurt.

The smile disappeared from Miss Akiyama’s lips and an agonizing pang of guilt nicked her heart. Blushing a bit, she let out a sheepish chuckle. "Oh, I was going to announce it as a surprise."

Miss Haruna nodded. "I understand. Have you found a fabric you like?"

"No, I haven't." The navy-haired woman looked slightly discouraged for a moment, then a decisive expression appeared on her features. "I was just about to go and check a different store."

The red-head young woman winked at Miss Akiyama before shooting her a cheerful grin. "That’s the spirit! After all, your wedding is the most special occasion in your life. You shouldn’t settle for anything less than your _dream_ dress.”

Miss Akiyama smiled at her dear friend, her eyes brightening. “I know. That’s why I am weighing all my options as opposed to just buying something simple.” She then got an earnest look in her eyes as desperation began to sink in. “Will you help me? I feel like I will have much better luck and you have _great _taste. "

Miss Haruna blushed and looked modest as if she thought the bride-to-be was exaggerating. "Why thank you. I’m flattered you think so, especially since I plan to find _my _fiancé at your wedding. And you bet I’ll help."

Miss Akiyama chuckled a bit, endeared by her friend’s perkiness. The excitement bubbling inside her became evident on her features. "Oh, thank you very much."

Miss Haruna smiled warmly while resting a hand on her colleague’s shoulder. "The pleasure is all mine. There’s a store I know called Cloth Azabu Juuban. I'm sure you'll find something there."

Miss Akiyama knitted her eyebrows together at the mention of the store’s name, then her face relaxed into a grateful smile. “Yes, I believe I have heard of that store. It couldn’t hurt to try. Let’s go!”

Miss Haruna grinned. “All righty, then. We’ll take my car. I’ll bring you back to pick up yours later.”

Miss Akiyama smiled brightly at her friend’s generosity before nodding. “Okay. That’s fine.” She listened to herself, chuckling at how easily she accepted the red-haired woman’s offer. _‘One thing I’ve learned is to never reject her offer without good reason, and I don’t see why I should refuse this.’_

Miss Haruna smiled back just as brightly. “Good. It’s settled.” She placed a hand on the small of Miss Akiyama’s back, leading her away from the store. The navy-haired woman got a hopeful expression on her face for the first time that afternoon. _‘While there are chances I may not find it there, either, I won’t give up. Being pessimistic won’t help.’ _

Suddenly the two women felt chills going down their spines and their hearts skipping several beats. A frown crossed Miss Akiyama’s features at the unexpected sensations. There was a sudden shift in the atmosphere, which made the red-haired teacher stop and face her with a look of concern etched on her features. “Is something the matter, Higure-san?”

Miss Akiyama stopped in her tracks as well. She remained silent as she wracked her brain for a way to explain without worrying her friend or hiding the truth. Exhaling a deep breath, she responded, “Forgive me. I didn’t mean to scare you. It’s just…I have the feeling someone is watching us…but perhaps it’s just me being paranoid because I’m a little anxious about the wedding.”

Miss Haruna touched her friend’s arm, lightly shaking her head. “It’s not just you. I feel the same as well.” She peered over her shoulder, her brow furrowing when she spotted a red Ferrari parked outside the shop, and a pair of eyes. _‘I have to admit, it’s a stylish car, although not particularly my type.’ _Holding back a shiver, she turned to face the Home Ecs teacher. “It turns out we were correct in our assertion. Judging from the vehicle, it is the millionaire Masato Sanjouin. Though what could he be doing here, I have no idea.”

Miss Akiyama breathed a sigh of relief before surprise mixed with perplexation appeared on her features. “While it is comforting to know neither of us are going insane, I share your confusion. However, there is no time to worry about that. We should get going.”

The red-head young woman nodded. “You’re right. For all we know, he could be stalking us.” She suppressed a shudder at the thought and then paused, hanging her head for coming to such a hasty conclusion. What brought it on? She had no idea, besides the sensationalized stories printed in the newspapers during the course of the past several weeks. _‘Remember, those may be myths, and it is very wrong to judge based on speculation,’_ a voice chided her. “It’s wise not to take chances.” Taking Miss Akiyama by the hand, she pulled the older woman away. _‘Just ignore the fellow,’_ she told herself.

The car window went down, revealing Nephrite observing the women with a fixated gaze whilst they took their leave. Despite his stoic expression, he mentally smirked at the apprehensiveness they had exhibited before, which became evident in his sapphire eyes as they emitted a sinister twinkle. _‘That’s right, you foolish women. You should be afraid.’ _ A powerful zing eliminated his amusement, replacing it with a pensive expression. _‘Hmm…I sensed a great force from that teacher. It appears I have found my next victim.’_ Chuckling softly to himself, he drove away.

(planetarium)

Nephrite materialized in the barely lit observatory unit to see Yukari appearing very absorbed as she gazed at the stars, which he couldn’t help smiling at. His frigid heart dissolved ever so slightly upon realizing the depth of her interest. _‘It is refreshing to see, given how easily distracted she can be at times.’_

_‘Hmm?’_ Yukari’s concentrative expression faltered, replaced by a frown. Her body stiffened and her heartbeat sped up at the sudden additional presence she sensed. _‘Perhaps it’s just me on edge…I hope it’s not some intruder.’_ She drew in a deep breath, releasing it through her nostrils to keep from yelling out in panic before turning away from the constellations she had been admiring. Her body relaxed when she saw it was no unwelcome guest. “Welcome back, Master Nephrite,” she said, giving a small curtsey and suppressing an embarrassed laugh with a rather wobbly smile.

Nephrite gave a slight smile. “Thank you, Yukari.” His smile faded to be replaced by a contemplative expression as he turned away from the young woman. The unit then grew ominously dark, shadowing his hair. "Stars know everything. I seek your guidance for my new victim. “ His chanting invoked the power of a brilliantly shining orb, which fired a gaseous laser at his forehead and produced an image of Miss Akiyama. ” The star Vega weeps because she cannot cross the Milky Way to see her soulmate. She shines her light on the school teacher Higure Akiyama, who is wasting valuable energy planning her wedding, precious energy that can be fed to our Great Ruler. It'll be mine for the taking, and I will also lure in those bothersome sailor senshi." A small devious grin formed on his lips as his eyes glowed bright red.

Yukari stood still, waiting for the tingling sensation in her body to subside as she eyed the image. An awed expression appeared on her features upon noticing the fabric the two educators browsed, just barely suppressing a sigh. _‘Ohhh, such beautiful silk…I imagine it feels even better…no Yukari, this is no time to be impressed by the humans’ silly creations!’_

Suddenly the brunette youma felt a sharp jolt in her heart, just as she was hit by the realization that she had yet to volunteer her assistance. She bit her lip to keep from giving a yelp of pain. _‘Goodness, Master Nephrite must consider me so useless now. Although he never asked, he had accepted the little assistance from Ruby. Surely he would appreciate it from me as well. I had better think of something before he disposes of me or sends me back to that witch Queen Beryl._’ Barely suppressing a shudder at the idea of serving the witch queen again, the extensive amount of guilt became evident on her features. It faded and was replaced by a tiny smile as she took another glance at the image. _‘I think I know what Master Nephrite intends to do and how I can plant the seed. While it may not be much, he wouldn’t have to do **all **the work, either, and I can make myself useful for a change. Not to mention satisfy my curiosity, too.’ _

Yukari ripped her eyes off the image, just in time to see the star shitennou preparing to leave. Realizing this was her chance, she cleared her throat, making him face her. There was a slight questioning look on his face as he wondered what was on her mind. She gave a polite bow. "Excuse me Master Nephrite. You intend to use a possessed piece of fabric to drain this human's energy, am I correct?"

The star shitennou gave a small smile at how intuitive his minion was. "You are right."

Yukari grinned with delight whilst mentally releasing a sigh of relief. "Excellent. I ask because I have come up with a way to assist you in that regard."

Nephrite quirked a slight eyebrow. "Oh? And which way is that?"

"Well, if you aren’t very keen on shopping in a women’s store_, I _can purchase the fabric. I am certain I can find something suitable that’s also something _you _would have chosen for her." As the youma spoke, she kept her tone as dutiful as she could to hide the excitement bubbling inside of her. However, she felt a smile threatening to escape. _‘I will have my curiosity satisfied at last, not to mention I have resolved one of my concerns on my own terms!’_

“Hmm.” Nephrite furrowed his brow as he gave Yukari’s offer some thought. He studied her expression and couldn’t help cracking a smile at her eagerness, not to mention her initiative. A wave of relief swam through him, which briefly flickered on his features at the fact that she also made it easier to carry out the scheme and was taking his comfort zone into account. _‘Not that it matters how the humans perceive my presence. Nevertheless, I have to admit it **would **be rather odd.’ _Reaching into his pocket for the wallet, he pulled out several yen bills and handed them to Yukari, which she accepted with a grateful smile. “I’m sure you will. Thank you.”

"I thank _you_ for your confidence. I won't be gone long." Yukari placed the money in her pocket and gave another respectful bow before disappearing in a cyclone whirlwind.

(Cloth Azabu Juuban)

As Yukari pulled the door open and entered the store, her hands became clammy. She moved over to the side near a mannequin, resting her hand on her forehead as she let out a low moan. _‘Oh great…don’t tell me this is a sign that I shouldn’t have volunteered for this. Good thing it’s not extremely busy as of yet. I **will** hurt someone if I must.’_ Removing her hand from her forehead, she inhaled a deep breath and rubbed her hands together before doing a light jog in place to calm the butterflies in her stomach. _‘Come on, Yukari. You can do this. Remember, Master Nephrite believes you can.’_ Shutting her eyes for a moment to drown out the chatter, she reopened them while exhaling the breath she had been holding and then wandered over to the cloth section.

The shelves were stacked with several rows of neatly folded pieces of fabric. Yukari’s eyes widened upon noticing that the colors were not only white, but also cream, bright pink, lavender, yellow, pale blue…. '_Wow, who knew there could be such an assortment of these things called wedding dresses? With so many different possibilities, I may have trouble making up my mind …unless I narrow down my options somehow, which I may just do to save time.'_

Yukari rubbed the bridge of her nose, then tilted her head to get a good look at all the pieces of cloth. She tapped her chin with a pensive expression on her face as she pondered which one to choose. _‘Hmm…well that lavender cloth looks rather beautiful…it’s different in a good way. I wonder what Master Nephrite would think.’_ Her lips curling up a bit, she reached up a hand to pull it from the shelf when all of a sudden she heard a voice saying, "Hello, Miss. Do you need any assistance?", at which she jumped slightly and yanked her hand back down, her heart skipping several beats. She turned to see who had spoken.

Standing behind the youma was a petite woman with snow-white hair pulled from her face in a tight bun, hazel eyes and creased features, dressed in a pressed shirt over black slacks, along with a nametag pinned to the blouse, which Yukari scanned. _‘Riko, huh? Well…she seems innocent enough, if not creepy, though I have to say she’s a fool if she thinks I will let her off easy for sneaking up on me.’_ She shot Riko a glare.

The elderly lady looked taken aback at first, and was about to rebuke the youma’s hostility, but then remembered her prior actions that startled the young woman. _‘Also, her eyes look so cold. What type of being is she?’ _Suppressing a shiver, she gave a small bow. “Oh goodness I apologize profusely for frightening you. I meant no harm.”

Yukari’s hardened eyes softened a tad, although she felt a gleeful smirk forming on her lips at seeing the woman alarmed before. She put on a nonchalant expression. "Apology acknowledged. And to answer your question, it’s very kind of you to offer, but I have already found what I liked. “ She turned away so her back was facing Riko, hoping the hint would be taken. After all, there was work to be done. _‘To hell with this old crone for distracting me.’_

Riko made a choking sound before glancing at the ceiling to keep from grabbing Yukari by the shoulders and turn her back around for a good berating. Instead she just said, “Very well, then. I’ll be off. Hopefully the other customers have better manners than you do.” She walked away.

Yukari let out a snort. “What an ignorant fool,” she muttered under her breath. The pit of her stomach had soured as if she had just gulped down a bottle of acid. She then heaved a sigh of exasperation mixed with relief. _‘Annoying, but at least she’s gone now. I thought I was gonna have to use force. Can’t wait to tell Miki and Ruby about this.’ _Rubbing her temples, she averted her eyes back to the pieces of cloth, particularly the lavender colored one. Once again, she reached up to pull it from the pile, clutching it in her hands. She ran a finger over it and held it up to get a better look, her lips stretching into a proud-of-herself grin. _‘Ah, just as I thought…perfect. So soft, luxurious, and silky.’_ The urge to wrap it around her shoulders to see how it would look kindled within her, but she shook her head to rid it of such thoughts. _‘Childish! No time for such folly!’_ Her job done, she wandered over to the cash register, standing in line. She smiled despite the number of people ahead of her. _‘Master Nephrite will be most pleased. Hmhmhm.’_

(Juuban Hall)

Usagi walked past the local hall on her way home, a puzzled frown appearing on her features upon noticing the massive crowd of people gathered around it. “Hmm…I wonder what’s the big occasion today,” she mused aloud. She chewed on her bottom lip as she debated within her mind whether she should satisfy her curiosity or continue her journey home. _‘Nah, Mom won’t care if I take a few extra minutes. Knowing her, she probably thinks I’m in detention right now.’ _Stopping in her tracks, she altered direction and wandered over to join the crowd of people, choosing a spacious spot.

There was a large poster set in front of the building, at which Usagi lifted her eyes. A small grin formed on her lips. _‘Hey. This could be the answer to my question.’ _She stretched out her neck a bit to see what was written on the poster board. It read: _‘ATTENTION ALL BRIDES TO BE!_ _ENTER THE CONTEST TODAY WITH A HANDSEWN WEDDING DRESS! THE CONTESTANT WITH THE BEST LOOKING WEDDING DRESS WILL WIN A TRIP TO HAWAII!'_ The text was accompanied by a drawing of a bride.

Usagi’s face lit up like a lantern and she let out a high-pitched squeal, not caring if anyone heard her or not. "Hawaii has got to be the perfect place for a honeymoon! It'll be so romantic." She placed her face in her hands and got a dreamy expression on her face, pink hearts popping out of her eyes as she released a contented sigh.

_*Daydream begins*_

_Usagi’s cheeks turned bright red as she felt eyes on her from all the spectators who admired her gown and dainty features. They broke into a round of applause and tossed confetti in the air, which made her smile, even as several pieces landed on top of her veil. Her heart swelled to twice its size, feeling as if it would burst. **‘I can’t thank everyone enough for sharing this day with me.’ ** Tears stung at the corner of her eyes, which glistened from the bright light radiating in the ballroom. Suddenly she felt two warm hands resting on her shoulders, prompting her to glance up. Her face broke into a wide smile when she saw it was none other than Tuxedo Kamen and Motoki. They offered her their arms, which she accepted without question, and allowed them to whirl her around the ballroom floor. At that moment her entire body felt weightless. “Oh, I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. I never thought this would happen in a million years! I have not one, but **two** princes!”_

_*Daydream ends*_

Usagi was semi-asleep as she kept tossing her head from side to side and heaving loud blissful sighs. She got a tight feeling in her chest, causing her eyes to shoot wide open and her dreamy expression to be replaced by dismay. "I knew it was too good to be true. Neither of them has an idea how much I love them and I can only choose one anyway." She was about to fold her arms and start pouting, but her disappointed expression turned into bemusement when she heard Rei yelling, "It's not fair to limit your contest just for people getting married. It should be for anyone who knows how to sew!" The blonde blinked several times and rolled her eyes, although a tiny part of her was fighting a grin as her mind drifted off, concocting ways to use Rei’s tantrum against her. _‘Serves her right for always getting on my case. When did she get here, anyway?’ _

The minister looked startled at the teen girl’s outburst, then cleared his throat as if he were about to scold her for it. However, the annoyed look on her face told him it was a bad idea. _‘Besides, she **does** have a valid point.’_ Instead, he responded in a calm tone, “It does not have to be very soon, Miss. As long as you plan to get married at Juuban Hall someday, you are welcome to enter, even if it is many years from now."

Rei’s eyes brightened as she blew out a huge sigh. It was all she could do not to start jumping up and down. "Hooray! I'm signing up!" A smug grin then formed on her lips, which faltered slightly when she spotted Usagi at the corner of her eye. "Oh Usagi, what brings you here?"

Usagi got a slightly grumpy expression on her features. "I would ask _you _the same question, " she retorted, sounding just as unenthusiastic as she looked.

Rei appeared unfazed by the blonde’s sassy remark, putting on a cheerful smile as if to show she was happy to see her friend. _‘Meh, I won’t know how to sew, but Usagi doesn’t have to know that. Plus, unlike her, I can still get help. ‘ _Her smile turned into a mischievous one as an idea came to her. "Hey, your mom is a housewife, isn't she?"

The blonde gave Rei a blank stare as if she had been asked if she remembered to change her underclothes. _‘Seriously, nosy much?’ _ Crossing her eyes, she responded, "Yeah. What's it to ya?" There was a hint of sass to her tone, but she couldn’t help it.

Rei shot Usagi a devious smirk and leaned close to her, letting out an awkward giggle. “Good one! Who knew you had that much spunk?”

Usagi backed away, shivering at the possessed look in the raven-haired teen’s eyes and the maudlin smile, all of which left a bitter taste in her mouth. "Why are you looking at me like that?!" she demanded to know. “Did you have too much to drink or something?”

Rei shot the blonde a withering glance. “Don’t be ridiculous!” she scoffed. Before Usagi could make a zingy comeback, Rei softened her tone as she continued, “Anyway, let’s go!” She grabbed Usagi by the arm and dragged her away, ignoring the girl's protests.

Miss Akiyama, who had been driving past the chapel, also noticed the advertisement. Giving a curious frown, she stopped and parked on the sidewalk, climbing out to take a quick peek. Perusing the poster, her eyes were filled with intrigue and she let out a soft gasp. A touch of excitement crossed her features. “They’re having a handmade dress contest with an all-expenses paid trip to Hawaii? This is perfect, considering it was my intention to do so and the finances are not there for a vacation.” She then looked serious as it dawned on her how slow her progress had been thus far. _‘I still have to find my fabric. I hope I do soon. Time is running out.’ _

(Tsukino residence)

Rei sat on the couch, a look of admiration crossing her features at the set up in the living room. The color scheme, while plain, exuded a relaxed, serene feeling, and the atmosphere itself enveloped her like a ray from the sun. _‘I can also tell there is love in this home. Not to mention Mrs. Tsukino herself is very nice.’_ She shot a sideways glance at Usagi, who was sitting in silence with a sulky expression. Shrugging her shoulders, she peered down at her lap, then up at the older woman, managing a shy smile.

Ikuko returned a warm smile to the raven-haired teen. "It's so nice to meet you, Rei.”

"Likewise. Usagi is lucky to have a mom like you. You're so kind."

Ikuko blushed slightly. "Why thank you. So, tell me how you and my daughter met. I don’t recall her telling me about that. "

"We met at my grandpa's shrine, and have been really good friends ever since. We’re practically inseparable. "

Usagi let out a grunt, the shrine maiden’s insults and rebukes still fresh in her mind. “Liar,” she muttered under her breath, eliciting a hard look from Rei.

Ikuko nodded, the warm smile still on her face. "Oh I see." Her smile faded and was replaced by shame as she smacked her forehead. “Oh goodness! My manners are so poor! I haven’t offered you anything to eat. Excuse me.” She got up from her spot, disappearing into the kitchen.

Rei watched Ikuko leave, then averted her eyes towards the vase full of flowers whilst waiting for the older woman to return. The bright colours of the said flowers added a layer of cheerfulness to her mood. _‘Not to mention they look like the flowers in the park that was almost torn down.’ _ Her stomach made a slight gurgling sound, causing her face to turn bright red. _‘Oh…thank goodness Mrs. Tsukino isn’t back yet. Was actually feeling a little hungry when I first got here, but I didn’t want to impose on her more than I already am. I’m anxious to taste her cooking, though.’ _

Ikuko emerged from the kitchen, holding a plate with a fork sticking upwards, and handed it to Rei. “Here you go. Once again, my apologies for making you wait so long.”

It was Rei’s turn to give a warm smile. “Oh, no worries at all, Mrs. Tsukino. I didn’t mind waiting. Thank you for thinking of me, and this snack.” She looked on the plate to see a slice of cake topped with strawberries and cream. Her mouth immediately began to water. _‘Wow, my favorite!’ _

Usagi glanced over to see what her mom had given Rei. Her eyes bugged out and her mouth dropped open. "Hey Mom, that's my piece of cake! I was gonna have it for my afternoon snack!" she protested. A long rant was waiting to regurgitate itself from her lips, but she knew to bite her tongue. _‘Still don’t see why I should share **anything **with her when she wouldn’t let me borrow a manga.’ _She reached over to snatch the plate from Rei, but the fire senshi tapped her knuckles, making her yelp.

"Usagi!" Ikuko scolded, gobsmacked. She shook her head at the blonde’s selfishness, then turned to face Rei. "Don't listen to her. She is impossible at times. Go ahead."

"So I see. I appreciate you sticking up for me." Rei removed the fork from the cake and scooped up a small piece, eating it. “Mmmm.” She ate another piece, continuing to make work of the dessert until there were only loose crumbs left on the plate.

Luna raised an eyebrow at the scowl on Usagi’s features. "Usagi, why are you in such a foul mood?"

"I don't trust her at all," Usagi answered, almost snarling. She rubbed her throbbing knuckles.

"This cake is really delicious!" the ebony-haired teen raved. "You're so great at baking. You should open your own bakery."

Ikuko let out a gasp and her face turned different shades of red. "Do you really mean that?" she asked, her heart turning into mush at the praise.

"The cake is store-bought, you numbskull!" Usagi cut in. She turned to the raven-haired girl to shoot her a smug look, but saw her mother coming up behind her from the corner of her eye with a heavy frown on her face and a stick in her hand. Before she could lower her head to duck, her body froze in fear. _‘No!’ _She felt a sharp blow to the back of her head. "Oww! Mom!" she whined, rubbing at the bump that had formed.

Mrs. Tsukino didn’t respond, but gave the blonde a disapproving look. She sighed, rubbing her forehead before turning back to Rei with a remorseful expression on her face. "Once again, I apologize for my daughter’s behavior. I will deal with her later. What was it you wanted to say?" As she waited for a response, she shot a quick glance at Usagi, tilting her head to see the blonde still rubbing at her injury. _‘As frustrating as she can be, she **does** remind me of myself when I was her age.’ _ A small smile formed on her lips, and she broke into a hearty chuckle.

Rei waved her hands in an “it’s all right” gesture, merely ignoring the chuckling. "No need to apologize. I know how difficult she can be.” She paused, then clasped her hands together. “Well, I need to ask you for a favor. You see, I’m entering a handmade wedding dress contest. I was wondering since you’re a housewife, can you help me?"

"Sewing, you say?" asked Mrs. Tsukino through her laughter. She began to laugh so hard she could barely speak.

The buns resting atop Usagi’s pigtails bounced like tennis balls. _‘So **that’s **why she was so keen on meeting Mom. I knew she was a rat!’_ Although she knew she should be mad, her mom’s reality check produced a ticklish feeling deep within her gut. She tried her best to stifle the laugh, but it exploded out of her like a ticking timebomb, and gradually grew louder, drowning out the older woman’s laughter.

Rei blinked several times and looked at Usagi, then at Ikuko with a confused frown etched on her features, not even bothering to cringe at the blonde’s raucous guffawing. _‘I don’t get it. What’s so funny?’ _Mild disappointment crossed her features as it suddenly dawned on her. "I'll take your response as a no. Thanks anyway." Deep hurt materialized in her eyes; she had never felt so embarrassed in her life. She rested the plate down, rose to her feet and stormed out of the house. Noticing the shift in the raven-haired girl’s demeanor, Usagi stopped laughing and went after her.

Rei heard the footsteps, making her stop in her tracks. She turned around slightly to see it was Usagi, and immediately shot her a dirty look. "Thanks for letting me come over, even though you're the worst friend ever! How come you didn't tell me your mom couldn't sew beforehand? Then I wouldn’t have made such a fool of myself!"

Usagi gave a sheepish grin, clearly unfazed by the girl’s tirade despite the jab to her character._ ‘I could say the same thing_ _about **you** at times,’_ was what she wanted to respond, but the words escaped her. "I forgot. Not to mention you pulled me away before I could say anything! Then again, it serves you right for bulldozing the competition, you brat!"

In response, Rei blew a raspberry at the blonde and marched away in a huff.

"Right back at you!"

Luna groaned, fighting the urge to rake the fur off her body. "Good grief. If you spent a tenth of your energy doing your responsibilities, you would accomplish things much more easily."

Usagi put up a hand as if to say she didn't want to hear it. “Yeah, yeah, whatever,” she dragged. She scowled at the idea of coming second to Rei, then glanced up at the sky, scratching her chin as her scowl turned into a contemplative look._ ‘I **know **there is someone who can help me. But I have to hurry…I got it! Ami is good at practically everything she tries and is averaging an A in Home Ec. I should ask **her**._’ With this wave of determination, her eyes brightened and her lips curled up into a small grin, which had a touch of smugness in it. She left to make her way to Ami’s house.

Luna could only watch with a puzzled frown on her feline features. She heaved a loud sigh. _‘What is that girl up to now?’_

(Mizuno residence)

Usagi walked up the doorstep of the apartment, exhaling a deep breath and shaking out her aching legs. _‘Here goes nothing.’ _ Reaching up a hand, she pressed on the doorbell.

_DING-DONG!_

Usagi paced around on the doorstep while she waited. She looked down at her feet, then up at the door, clasping her hands together. _‘Oh, I hope I haven’t come at a bad time. I’m toast if I can’t get some help.’ _She unclasped her hands and wrapped her arms around herself, making slight whimpering sounds.

All of a sudden the blonde heard footsteps, which jolted her out of the despairing thoughts and ceased her whimpering. The door opened to reveal Ami, making her breathe a huge sigh of relief.

Ami looked a little surprised to see Usagi, and quirked an eyebrow at how shaken she seemed. “Usagi! Hello! What brings you here?”

“Oh, just had to get away from my house for awhile before I scream. I’m also in desperate need of your help,” Usagi explained in a rush.

Ami frowned as she processed what the blonde had said. She knew there were times her friend overreacted, but a flicker of concern manifested itself on her features. _‘I can’t deny she feels deeply about some things.’ _She bit her lip to keep from chuckling. “Whoa, slow down a little, Usagi-chan. Come on inside and you can tell me all about it.” Cracking the door wider, she stepped back a bit for Usagi to enter.

“Okay.” Usagi stepped inside, and Ami closed the door behind her, locking the deadbolt. Usagi watched her, and couldn’t help smiling to herself at how understanding the blue-haired teen had been thus far. _‘Then again, she **is **the best friend I’ve ever had, next to Naru-chan, which is more than I can say for some others.’_

Ami turned to Usagi, her lips curling slightly to see the smile on the blonde’s face. “Let’s go up to my room now…unless you want something to eat or drink first.”

Usagi hesitated, tempted to take Ami up on her offer to make up for not having the final piece of cake, but instead shook her head. “I’m not really hungry anymore. Let’s just go.” _‘It’ll be dinner time soon anyway.’ _

“All right, then.” 

Ami led Usagi to her bedroom, both of them silent. Ami entered first, then gestured for Usagi to follow, which she did without question.

“Do you want me to close the door?” asked the blonde.

Ami frowned in thought. “No, you can leave it open.”

“Okay.” Usagi sat on the floor whilst the blue-haired teen sat in a chair at her desk, watching as she moved her opened textbook to the side. Crossing her legs, she rested a hand beneath her chin, wracking her brain for a way to approach the subject whilst gazing at all the books in the bookcase and posters of different scholars on the wall. _‘I should thank her first. After all, she didn’t have to take time away from her studying to talk to me.’_ Twiddling her thumbs, she glanced up at Ami. “Thank you for letting me stay here for a bit. I hope I didn’t come at a bad time.”

Ami gave a gracious smile. “My pleasure, and no, you’re fine. I must ask, though, what is it you’re so upset about?”

Usagi took a deep breath. “Well, it started when Rei was so hyped up to meet my mom, which I had no problems with since I planned to introduce her, eventually. Then mom gave her the last piece of strawberry shortcake so I didn’t get to eat it. The worst part, though, was finding out Rei only wanted to meet my mom so she could enter the handmade wedding dress contest and rob me of a chance to win a trip to Hawaii.” She clenched her fists to calm her seething thoughts about the raven-haired teen. _‘I know her plan failed, but what if she **does** find someone else?’_

Ami remained silent while she listened to her friend vent, and she twisted her mouth to the side as it sunk in. She got a knowing look on her face at the mention of the contest, which turned into a frown. _‘To be honest I don’t think either of them should enter, but more so Usagi, since she’s already slow in school.’ _Still, she knew expressing her doubts wouldn’t do any good. "You really want to win the prize that badly?" she asked Usagi.

"Well of course! Wouldn't you like to be married and spend your honeymoon in a relaxing place with the man you love?"

Ami furrowed her brow. While she knew she would be lying if she said it didn’t sound like a nice dream, she never gave it much thought. "Well, not particularly. What I really want is to be educated enough to be a good doctor, just like my mother."

“What?!” Usagi’s eyes widened to twice their size. Grabbing her ankles, she fell forward and banged her forehead on the floor with a loud thump. “Oww.” She pulled herself up, rubbing the soreness away. "You've got to be kidding me! That's _every_ girl's dream! There's more to life than your career, you know." Her stomach doing flipflops, she clasped her hands together and looked at Ami with pleading eyes. "In spite of that, will you help me?"

The senshi of ice sighed. She could see her friend was desperate. "All right, I'll help you out," she caved in.

Usagi’s face lit up. "Yay!" She uncrossed her legs and jumped to her feet, doing a happy dance whilst grinning from ear to ear. “I’ll show that brat, Rei.” Her grin faded when Ami slammed down a stack of books in front of her.

"There you go! You will have to learn the basics in these books before I can give you any actual sewing lessons."

Usagi gave a sad sigh, resisting the urge to facepalm. "Ami-chan, you're something else."

(Cloth Azabu Juuban-next afternoon)

Miss Akiyama stood outside the store whilst Miss Haruna looked for a piece of fabric for her. A huge ruckus ensued amongst the crowd of people, reaching her ears. She closed her eyes in an attempt to drown it out, releasing a deep sigh. _‘I don’t suppose Sakurada-san could have made **too** much progress, if any at all. Still, bless her kind heart for doing this for me in spite of the chaos.’ _

The Home Ec teacher reopened her eyes just in time to see a red Ferrari pull up just several feet behind her. She cringed slightly at the screeching sound it made before furrowing her brow. _‘Hmm…it’s that car again. Could it be more than a coincidence it was here before?’ _ As much as she tried to shrug it off, she looked distracted as the thought plagued her mind.

"I'm taking this piece!" Miss Haruna was heard shouting.

"No! It's mine!" a man yelled.

Miss Akiyama peered over her shoulder, horror and disgust appearing on her features at the sight of the man trying to yank the piece of cloth from her friend’s hands. She shook her head, exhaling a frustrated sigh while rubbing at her throbbing forehead. "All that hostility just for a piece of fabric. They ought to be ashamed of themselves for acting like uncivilized children. At this rate I will never be able to make my dress in time for the deadline in this contest." All of a sudden she saw a lavender piece of cloth being tossed in her direction, which made her jump a little before giving a confused frown. _‘Now why would someone toss away a perfectly good piece of fabric like that?’ _ Assuming it was for her, she picked it up, running a finger over it. _‘It is lovely and feels just as nice.’ _

"Beautiful," said a deep, suave voice.

The navy-haired woman froze as a young man with long chestnut hair approached her. Several questions came to her mind, such as, _‘Did you get it for me? How could you have known I needed it?’ _As her body thawed, she gave him a puzzled look. "I beg your pardon?" she asked.

"That piece of fabric is beautiful," Nephrite reiterated.

Not wanting to appear cold, the older woman gave a slight nod to show her agreement. She faced him with a look that was a cross between confusion and curiosity on her features, as if wanting to ask him where he found it, and why did she have so much poor luck in her search? _‘That doesn’t matter. He has_ _helped you, and for that, you owe him_._ ‘ _She managed a weak smile of gratitude, which turned into surprise when he took the cloth away from her and wrapped it around his shoulders. She had to bite her lip to keep from giggling.

"It's perfect for you," continued Nephrite. "If I were you, I would snap it up right away. I can see you walking beneath the stars side by side with your soulmate in a dress made of this material, which will suit you beautifully." He pressed on the piece of cloth, marking it with his sinister magical crest before wrapping it around the teacher’s shoulders. "I wish you happiness." With that, he walked away.

Miss Akiyama could only stare after the young man with a flustered expression, her heart fluttering and her cheeks becoming hot at his flattery. _‘Oh, he's such a life saver and a sweetheart...not to mention a very charming young man.’_


	7. Chapter 7

(next day-after school)

Usagi and Naru were on route to Miss Akiyama’s house together. Both were silent, with Usagi looking pensive and anxious. Despite perusing the books Ami presented to her, she had hit a road block. _‘I know Ami-chan helped me as best she could, but I still need help to get through the different steps. Who better to ask than Akiyama-sensei? After all, she’s no Ms. H.’ _ A smidge of hope flashed in her eyes at the thought.

Naru shot a sideways glance at her best friend, smiling a bit at how thoughtful she looked. _‘It’s rare to see, but I like that side of her…even if it usually means something is wrong.’_ Her smile faded, turning into a confused frown as the blonde’s probable thought process nagged at her. "Why do you want Akiyama-sensei’s help so badly? You nod off in Home Economics class almost all the time."

Usagi turned to the red head with a “Yeah, so?” expression on her face. "Well, this is different. I am really desperate to get this dress done for the contest."

"Don't you know how hard it is to make a wedding dress?" countered Naru.

Usagi let out a deep sigh, becoming weary of explaining herself. "Yes. That's why I came over here. I haven’t had much luck elsewhere, so Akiyama-sensei is my last hope. Don’t you get it?”

For a moment Naru looked shocked at the blonde’s slightly impatient tone. "I guess, but she is busy with her own dress. She wouldn't have time to help you, too.”

"Oh right." Usagi looked sheepish and released an awkward giggle to mask her embarrassment. "Well you know what they say. A woman's conviction can crack a rock."

Naru eyed her best friend strangely whilst biting her lip to keep from laughing. "And what exactly does that mean?"

"What?!" asked Usagi with a defensive edge to her voice. "Did I say it wrong?"

Luna, who had been watching, lowered her head and let out a groan of chagrin. _'What is this girl up to now? If only she would use half of her energy to anticipate the enemy's next move, this mission would be a breeze.'_

Before Naru could respond to Usagi, she heard a low humming sound, prompting her and the blonde to glance up. They spotted a petite, chubby man walking up the stairs with a bouquet of flowers in his hands. He had low-cut jet-black hair that was balding in the front, and wore a black suit. The red-head furrowed her brow. "Oh, it looks like Akiyama-sensei has a visitor. I wonder who he could be."

Usagi felt her lips spreading into a goofy grin whilst scrutinizing the man. "Whoever he is, he looks like a nerd," she remarked, cupping a hand by her mouth to stifle the giggle that threatened to escape.

Naru let out a loud gasp at her friend’s rash judgment. "Usagi-chan, you shouldn't say things like that!" she mock scolded with laughter in her voice. She turned away from the blonde to see the gentleman stand on the doorstep, a frown crossing her features. "What does he think he's doing? You don't think he could be…."

Usagi glanced at the bouquet in the man’s hand. As she recalled the details of the proposal, her eyes popped wide open when it hit her like a ton of bricks. She turned to Naru, who had the same look of recognition on her features. "Akiyama-sensei’s fiancé?!” they chorused together.

Usagi let out a soft whistle before cocking an eyebrow. It was all she could do not to burst into a fit of giggles. “Boy,” she muttered under her breath, then fell silent, opting not to say any more on the subject. _‘Not my business, after all. As long as he makes her happy.’_ With that reminder, she went back to observing the gentleman with her friend.

Exhaling a light breath, the businessman proceeded to rap on the door, his heart pounding and his palms sweating. "Higure-san? Is everything all right? You haven't been answering my calls. Higure-san, are you there?"

Before the gentleman could step back, the door suddenly opened and hit him in the face. He gave a yelp of pain as he gripped the bouquet to keep from dropping it. Rubbing his bright crimson nose, he glanced up to see his fiancée dressed in a light purple underwear and sports bra concealed by a lime green shirt with ends tied into a tight knot. A frown crossed his features at the unusual getup and the hard, cold look he received. _'If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought I came to the wrong apartment, but I know it’s her. What I want to know is, why does she look so angry? Was it something I did?’ _He gulped. "You look different, but very nice. I’m very sorry if I came at a bad time. I just wanted to give you these flowers. Here." The man held the bouquet towards the home ecs teacher.

Miss Akiyama just stared at her fiancé as if he were crazy. Her scowl deepening, she eyed the flowers with distaste before knocking them out of his hands. "Listen here, you nuisance! Don't come on my property until I have finished designing my wedding dress or I won't marry you anymore! Got that?!"

At first, the gentleman looked taken aback. As the sharp rebuke sunk in, he barely held back a wince at the proverbial punch to the gut and tear in his heart. _‘I wonder what’s going on. I knew it was suspicious, but this…’ _ Unable to take any more of her hard stare, he peered down slightly at his feet.

Miss Akiyama cringed. "Oh no! At this rate I will never finish my dress in time! And it’s all your fault!” With a panicked look on her face, she turned on her heel and rushed back inside, slamming the door behind her.

Heaving a dejected sigh, the businessman hung his head and exited the educator’s property. A lump formed in his throat, which he swallowed. _'I wish I knew what upset her so.'_

Usagi and Naru had been observing the entire scene with their mouths hanging open, at a loss for words whilst they watched the man take his leave. Naru placed a hand on Usagi’s back as a look of sympathy crossed her features. “Poor guy. Akiyama-sensei was extremely harsh, and it’s not like her.”

Usagi nodded her agreement. “I know right? His heart must have torn into a million pieces. I know mine would if I ever had to hear such a thing.” The blonde shuddered at the thought, then got a panicked expression on her face as the reason for the teacher’s vitriolic outburst sunk in. “Oh no! She’s gonna be in the contest too! That means not only have my chances of winning become harder, but you were right about her not having time to help me after all!” Tears stung at her eyes, and she began to sniffle. It was all she could do not to start wailing. _‘I hate it when Naru-chan’s right.’_

Naru turned to Usagi to shoot her an “I told you so” look, but that urge melted away upon noticing her friend’s pitiful expression. Still, she couldn’t keep her eyes from doubling in size at how the blonde’s mind was still on the wrong thing. “You know, Usagi-chan…” Her voice trailed off as she tried to find a way to voice her disbelief in a diplomatic manner.

Luna, who had been observing from afar, groaned at Usagi’s meltdown before looking grim. Her whiskers quivered at the sudden chill in the atmosphere. _‘The Dark Kingdom must have gotten to Miss Akiyama as well. ‘_

(planetarium)

With the brilliantly shining gaseous orbs marginally lightening up the atmosphere, Nephrite, along with his trio of youma, kept close watch on the progress of Miss Akiyama’s energy level increase. First he looked pleased, then his pleased expression turned into an amused smirk at her 180-degree change in emotions. '_Excellent work. Soon, your energy will be mine!'_

Yukari felt the edges of her lips curling ever so slightly. Her nose twitched as a tickling feeling erupted inside of her, and she gave a devilish little chuckle. "Oh, the way that human handled her fiancé was amusing," she commented.

Miki tilted her head whilst releasing a cynical huff. "Not quite. I think she was far too kind. If I were her, I doubt I would have acknowledged the businessman's presence, much less give him the time of day.” From the corner of her eye, she spotted Yukari quirking an eyebrow at her, at which she shrugged her shoulders. She smiled when she caught Ruby giving her a thumbs up sign as if to show her agreement.

"Never mind that, Miki. My curse has just taken effect, " pointed out Nephrite.

"Oops. That's right." Miki’s face turned bright red and she looked sheepish as she had been reminded of her patience. So far, her attempt at executing it had left much to be desired.

"Such a shame those beautiful flowers had to go to waste," Ruby remarked in an almost wistful tone. It turned into disdain as she continued, “I can tell these humans have not changed a bit since the Kunitachi incident."

Miki and Yukari glanced at each other, but had no comment. They knew Ruby had grown to love nature, so her strong statement came as no surprise to them.

Ami had completed her homework at the library and was presently making her way to the Hikawa Shrine. A tiny smile formed on her lips as she spotted Luna sprinting towards her, which prompted her to slow down so the feline could catch up. Her smile faded upon noticing the grim expression on Luna’s face. “Hello Luna! I’m so happy to see you. Is something wrong?”

“Yes. I followed Naru and Usagi-chan to Miss Akiyama’s apartment. Her fiancé visited just to give her a bouquet of flowers, and she destroyed them in a fit of rage, telling him not to return until after she finishes designing her wedding dress or she will break off the engagement,” Luna explained.

Ami’s face twisted into a deep frown as she imagined the scenario. “What? I can’t imagine her doing that. Something isn’t right.”

Luna nodded. “I sensed an evil presence in the air as well. I suspect the Dark Kingdom is behind this. We need to find Rei and Usagi so we can investigate.”

Ami’s expression matched that of the feline guardian’s. "I believe you are absolutely right. Akiyama-sensei is far too kind for such behavior. And I was actually on my way to the shrine when you showed up."

"Yes, not to mention she seems a little _too _wrapped up in this contest…even more wrapped up than Usagi, and dealing with _her_ is frustrating enough."

"That's true." Ami and Luna walked the remainder of the way in silence, which ended when Ami heaved a contented sigh. "I love the tranquility that surrounds this shrine."

Luna was about to respond, but before she could, she and Ami suddenly heard the sound of a man’s voice yelling, making them glance up.

"What's going on?" wondered Ami. She and Luna searched around for the source of the ruckus. Their brows furrowed when they saw Rei running around with several lengthy white pieces of cloth in her hands and Grandpa Hino chasing her.

"You come back here with those wedding Shinto robes!" Ami heard him yell.

Rei felt the elderly man hot on her heels. _‘Oh crap!’ _She sped up, unaware that Ami and Luna were nearby. Before she knew it, she collided into the ice senshi, who screamed in pain and surprise before falling on top of Luna with her legs sticking up in the air. Luna let out a yelp as well, struggling to pull herself out from beneath Ami.

Grandpa Hino snatched the robes from his granddaughter. "You were going to elope with some guy, weren't you?" he accused. "You know you're not even allowed to date until you're sixteen."

Rei shot her grandpa an indignant look, not appreciating the accusation one bit. _‘I swear, he’s so paranoid and controlling. Gah! Though I suppose it could be worse.’_ She shuddered, briefly thinking about her father before feeling the burn of anger once again. "What are you saying? That you don't trust me?!"

Grandpa Hino appeared unfazed by Rei's tone. "Don't play innocent with me. I saw you were about to use such sacred items for the Juuban Hall's self-promotion. Shame on them for planning such an event!"

Ami looked uncomfortable as she listened to the ongoing argument. '_Hmm...it seems Luna and I came at a bad time. Maybe we should leave and come back later. I hate to get on either of their bad sides.’ _She rose to her feet, brushing off her skirt and checking her knees for bruises. Fortunately, there were none. Luna, whose pupils were swirling around, exhaled a deep breath.

Mr. Hino turned away from the raven-haired girl, taking several breaths to calm himself. His lips stretched into a smile when he spotted Ami and Luna. "Hello there, young lady. How about having your wedding at this shrine?"

Ami blushed a little bit. "That's very kind of you, but I haven't found my potential soulmate yet," she told the elderly man.

Grandpa Hino flashed a cheeky grin at the blue-haired teen. "Well, I happen to be single." All of a sudden he felt a sharp blow to the top of his head, which made him yelp. He didn't even have to look up to know it was Rei. Rubbing his head, he turned to glare at her. "Can't you have some manners for once?" he scolded.

Rei returned the glare. "Can't you talk to a girl without sounding like a pervert?" she shot back.

(Tsukino residence)

Usagi tiptoed in her mother’s bedroom with a scarf tied around her head, wearing a furtive expression on her features. She knew the disguise was not very original, but it was one that took less time for her to concoct in the spur of the moment. _'It is Usagi, the beautiful thief…and I will get away with it.'_ Letting out a mischievous giggle, she wandered over to the curtains and proceeded to run her fingers over them. "Nice and smooth...perfect," she said out loud before heaving a wistful sigh and getting a dreamy look on her face. _‘While I may not win the contest, I’m still not gonna give up just like that. Not when Rei could be making a dress as I stand here.’_

"Excuse me, but what exactly are my curtains perfect for?" a stern female’s voice asked.

Usagi jumped at the sound of the voice, giving a yelp as a sharp jolt pricked her heart. She glanced away from the curtains to see her mother standing in front of the door with her hands on her hips, frowning deeply. '_Uh oh. Looks like I've been caught!'_ Squirming a bit, the blonde gulped, wracking her brain for a convincing excuse.

"Do you care to explain what you're doing in my bedroom?" asked Ikuko, walking towards Usagi and pointing the spatula at her.

"Oh, please have mercy on me, Governor Tsukino! I need the fabric for a project I am doing in school because I don't want to spend all of my allowance at the store for it," begged the blonde, leaning against the older woman and whimpering like a wounded animal. Of course, there was not nearly enough money to begin with, but she wouldn't tell her mom that. _‘At least I’m not totally lying. I mean, before Akiyama-sensei went bonkers, she **did** say to study the notes so we could try to make something.’_

Ikuko gave an embarrassed look at her daughter's flaky behavior, resisting the urge to facepalm. "How about a proposition? For even thinking about using my curtains and spending your money lavishly, I will suspend your allowance for three months."

Usagi’s eyes widened to twice their size. "Oh no, Mom, you can't do that!" she whined.

"Besides, the contest is only a few days away. Do you honestly think you can have a decent dress finished by then?"

Usagi could see her mother wasn’t going to budge. Her lower lip trembled and she started bawling at the top of her lungs.

Miss Akiyama sat at her desk, which was covered with sewing equipment resting atop the cursed fabric. A surge of energy rushed through her, making her legs shake uncontrollably until she was unable to sit still. She stood up, grabbed the cloth, holding it up to admire before spinning around the room and letting loose uproarious laughter. "This fabric is perfect! I will win the contest for sure!" She spun around as if there were no tomorrow, and soon she was feeling dizzy, which prompted her to sit back down. _'Oh dear. I really need to get to work.'_ After picking up the items that had been knocked over, she combed a hand through her navy-colored bangs, and peered down at the wedding dress design.

The Home Ecs educator picked up the ruler and needle point when all of a sudden, the telephone rang. She sucked a burst of air through her teeth in annoyance whilst opting to ignore it, before measuring the darts on her material and creating the slits. "Those mortal fools have no respect for a busy woman," she muttered under her breath.

The phone continued to ring. Miss Akiyama let out a growl and stared hard at it as if willing it to be silent. However, it did no good. Heaving a frustrated sigh, she raced over to the phone, yanking it off the hook. To be safe, she also got her cell phone and turned it off just in case said person had thoughts of reaching her on it. That done, she breathed a satisfied sigh before sitting down once again.

'_There. No one will be bothering me for the rest of the evening._ _Maybe I will get this dress done in time after all.' _Finally, the navy-haired woman continued her measuring and dart creating. Once that was done, she got the other piece of cloth she had cut and retrieved her threaded needle, using it to sew the two pieces together.

Several hours later, the dress was complete. Miss Akiyama held it up to admire, her lips stretching into a small smile. _'Perfect. All that’s left is the veil, and making it is simple so it can wait until tomorrow. If I do not win this contest, I will be very angry. '_ She rested the dress back down and massaged her aching fingers a little before her eyes became weary. Stifling a yawn, she rested her head on top of her desk.

(several days later-Juuban Hall)

The day of the contest had arrived, and the senshi, accompanied by Luna, made their way to the massive hall, Usagi dragging her feet as she did so. Neither of them blinked at the large crowd, as they expected it.

Usagi got a crestfallen expression on her face as the reality of the situation struck home. Seeing the other people get one step closer to fulfilling the dream they had poured salt on the wound. Tears stinging at the corners of her eyes, she clutched at her heavily bandaged hand, letting out several whimpers. _‘Oh, I’m such a failure. If it were not for Akiyama-sensei, I would have stayed home.’_

The blonde’s whimpers filled Ami’s ears. She turned to give her friend a look of sympathy whilst resting a hand on her shoulder. "Don't cry, Usagi-san. You can have the satisfaction in knowing you gave it your all."

Usagi merely looked down at her feet and moaned, the words barely registering with her. Although she knew Ami meant well, the last thing she wanted or needed was to be reminded how her best wasn’t good enough. _‘Easy for **her** to say.’ _

Rei turned to the blonde, shooting her a smirk. "Oh, I will acknowledge the effort, even though all you probably did was stab your fingers repeatedly." She knew it was mean, but she couldn’t help herself. _‘Besides, it is most likely what happened.’_

Usagi wailed at Rei's insensitivity, and the raven-haired girl let out an impish giggle in turn.

"Rei, stop it!" Ami scolded.

"Ami is right. This is not the time for arguing or wisecracks," chimed Luna. She then turned to the blonde. "Usagi, I want you to infiltrate the contest and find your teacher."

"You're so mean!" wailed Usagi. "You know I don't have a dress."

Rei groaned at her friend's selective memory. "You have the Disguise Pen, don't you remember?"

Usagi smacked her forehead. "Oops, I forgot about that." She took out her pen. "Moon Power! Turn me into a beautiful bride!" Her uniform turned into a white and pink gown, accompanied by a veil that cropped her hair up. A bouquet of flowers appeared in her hands, at which she giggled and spun around. "Do I look gorgeous in this dress or what?" From the corner of her eye, she noticed how Rei was staring at her, and it was now _her _turn to smirk. "Don't you wish you can wear this dress as well as I do, Rei?"

"Usagi-chan…."groaned Luna.

"You're only participating to save Akiyama-sensei," Ami reminded the blonde.

"Not to mention you wouldn't win fairly," said Luna.

Usagi’s smirk faded and she let out a groan as she was reminded of how she failed. "I know, but it's fun to pretend."

Just then, the lights turned off, dimming the room. Before anyone could ask what was going on, the announcer walked out with a smile on his face. "Hello, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our wedding contest, starring our beautiful contestants. There will also be a guest hostess. We have a great show for you, so don't go away!"

Usagi followed the contestants onto the stage whilst her friends remained with the spectators. Although she wasn't participating, being in the spotlight brought a brief smile to her face, which faded as the reminder of Ami and Luna echoed in her brain. She looked around for her teacher.

"I don't see Miss Akiyama anywhere," Rei said to Ami.

"Me neither," answered Ami. "Maybe she didn't come." A slight frown crossed her features as she made a “hmm” sound. _'If that's true, we're going to have to find another way to free her from this plot.'_

"I now present..." the host announced. He opened the curtains to reveal the guest hostess. Standing behind the curtains was Miss Akiyama, wearing a long-sleeved lavender gown with a red bodice, feathery shoulder pads, and a veil with a red gem in the center.

"Oh, it looks like Akiyama-sensei showed up after all…" Usagi mumbled.She got an awed expression on her face at the woman’s dress. _'Wow, what a neat-looking dress. If she wins this contest, she deserves it.'_

The announcer gaped at the educator. "What do you think you're doing?" he demanded to know. "You're not the guest hostess."

"Silence and bow before me!" ordered Miss Akiyama.

The announcer took a look at the new contestant's dress, his pupils swirling around and his head drooping as he began to feel lightheaded. He knelt before her, pink hearts popping out of his eyes. "Oh, you're the most beautiful bride I've ever seen! Will you marry me?"

Miss Akiyama gave the middle-aged man a look of disdain. "Men like you are beneath me! I am the most beautiful woman in this world and everyone needs to bow before me! I am the only one who has what it takes to win this contest, no other!" She placed a finger on the left side of her temple and proceeded to cackle, her eyes glowing bright crimson.

Luna became stone-faced when she saw this. "Usagi-chan, whatever you do, don't look in Miss Akiyama's eyes."

The warning barely reached Usagi in time as she had begun to doze off. Her eyes popped wide open before a look of horror was etched on her face at seeing where Luna was. "Hey, what are you doing under my dress?! You nasty pervert!"

"No time for that! Prepare to strike!"

(planetarium)

Nephrite, who had just received another crystal ball from Ruby, grinned evilly upon seeing Miss Akiyama’s energy about to flow over. He knew it was time. "Her energy has reached its peak! Come forth, youma Widow!" Making himself invisible, he transported himself to the hall, using the crystal ball to capture Miss Akiyama's energy. A half humanoid, half spider emerged from the teacher's chest, causing her to cry out and collapse onto the stairs. The star king gazed down at her with a malicious grin forming on his lips. _‘A pity you will never fulfill your dream, foolish woman.’ _His work done, he disappeared from the site, returning to his observatory unit.

Ruby grinned at the imminent danger the senshi were about to face, then her grin faded as a thought nagged at her. "Master Nephrite? Do you think Widow has what it takes to crush those irritating senshi?"

"I am sure she can."

Ruby glanced up at the stars, scrunching up her brow in thought before facing the veteran shitennou again. "I hope so. I mean, yes her abilities do have potential, but the question is, are they enough to obliterate them forever?"

Nephrite could see his henchwoman had doubts. He gave her a hint of an understanding look, as he was quite aware that Widow was not his most powerful youma. "Just keep watch. While she may not succeed in utterly annihilating the senshi, she may be able to uncover a weakness."

Ruby frowned in thought, then nodded. "That's true." She recalled the previous battle youma as well as Nephrite’s reasoning for sending them, and a look of recognition appeared on her features as it dawned on her. _‘Of course! I should have known that’s what he had in mind before. It does make sense, after all.’_

A reserved smile formed on the star shitennou’s lips. “Good. Now, to deliver this vast amount of energy to Queen Beryl-sama. I’ll be back.” He disappeared for the second time.

(Juuban Hall)

Usagi barely held back a shiver as she eyed the creature before her. However, there was no ignoring the chill in the room, or what went down her spine. It was all she could do not to start squealing as well. _‘Ugh, I wish we didn’t have to fight this thing, but we have no choice. Akiyama-sensei is in big trouble.’_ She faced the arachnid beast with a scathing glare. “All right, bug breath, you’re gonna pay for destroying the dreams of these contestants for your own selfish purposes! Moon Prism Power, Make Up!”

Ami and Rei eyed their friend before turning to each other, giving a slight nod. “Mercury Power, Make Up!”

“Mars Power, Make Up!”

Once transformed, the three girls took their attack stances, poised for combat. “All right, spider face, it’s go time!” declared Moon, putting on her best hardened warrior look. “Show us what you’ve got!”

At that, Widow unleashed a fierce cackle and shot a web-like cloth from her mouth at the senshi. Mars and Mercury dashed out of the way in time—but just barely. Moon’s legs had fallen asleep before she could do the same, and she released a gasp of fear as the cloth wrapped around her, pinning her arms to her sides. “AHHHHHHHHHH!” she screamed.

"No!" Mars and Mercury cried with looks of horror on their faces.

"I'm gonna weave you into my beautiful web," taunted the spider youma.

The moon senshi squirmed in the web's grasp, resisting the urge to start retching. "It's so slimy and sticky! I can't stand it!" she whined.

"Shabon Spray!"

Widow was about to shoot another cloth in the hopes of ensnaring Mercury and Mars when she noticed the barrage of bubbles heading in her direction. They created a fog, which hid the senshi from view and created a chill in the air that made her teeth chatter. "Drat! What is this? I can't see!"

"Fire Soul!"

The fireball melted the cloth, freeing Moon in the process. She shook her arms in an attempt to get rid of the after-effects. "Get it off, get it off, get it off!"

The fire senshi let out a groan of exasperation, bringing up a hand to rub her forehead. "You can calm down now. It's gone. You're acting immature right now."

"But I can't help it. I hate spiders," protested Moon. "Besides, I still feel icky."

"Where are those nosy sailor brats?" demanded Widow, wildly gazing around for her prey. She shot another web-like cloth in the hopes of it being able to seek and destroy the senshi.

Wasting very little time, Moon took off her tiara and tossed it at the creature. "Moon Tiara Action!"

The Frisbee-like weapon hurtled towards the cloth webbing, striking and redirecting it at the humanoid spider, hitting her on impact. "AAAAAAH!" she shrieked. Within seconds she was reduced to dust.

Sailor Moon did a fist pump gesture with a big grin plastered on her face. “Yes!” She and her friends stood still, waiting for the woman to regain consciousness. Sadly, the energy did not return to her. Moon’s grin faded as she realized what had happened. "Ugh, not this again!" she complained. “Why does this keep happening?” The last part came out as a wail.

Mars opened her mouth to berate Moon for being overemotional, but closed it, instead taking a deep breath to keep calm. "I’m sick of it, too. However, being hysterical won’t solve anything. We have to get to the bottom of this. " She clenched her fists in anger. _'Whoever is behind it will be sorry.'_

"Yes, something must be done," agreed Sailor Mercury. "First things first, we must get help for Akiyama-sensei."

"Yes, but how?" pondered Sailor Moon.

"We get her to a doctor. We can't afford to keep giving up our life energy every time."

"Which is why something must be done," Mars muttered under her breath.

Before Ami could answer, the announcer wandered over, prompting the girls to cease their discourse for the time being. "Are you girls acquainted with the unconscious woman?" he asked.

"Yes," Mercury answered.

"Well, I have just called an ambulance, so help is on the way."

"Good." Sailor Mars unclenched her fists, although the tension was still evident in her brow.

(one week later-Juuban Hall)

After making a full recovery from the attack through hospitalization and bed rest, it was finally the day of the wedding. Only close friends and family, the senshi, as well as several of her other students were in attendance.

As tranquil, instrumental music played in the background, Miss Akiyama waved at her guests before gliding down the aisle to meet her husband-to-be, her dress flowing behind her. He smiled as she came closer to him, and offered his arm for her to link, which she accepted without question. She returned his smile, then looked serious. “I love you so much. I still don’t remember this moment of rage you spoke of, but if it had happened, I can’t say enough how sorry I am. “

The businessman felt his heart melting at Miss Akiyama’s remorse. “No worries. It’s all in the past now,” he responded.

The girls had awed expressions on their faces as they admired Miss Akiyama’s demeanor, smiling at how happy she looked. “Akiyama-sensei is such a beautiful bride,” Ami commented.

"That she is," Usagi agreed. She got a bit of a depressed look on her features while turning a bright shade of green. "Such a shame I couldn't even try to participate in the contest."

"Well, even if you did, you probably wouldn’t have won," pointed out Rei. "Your teacher's dream has come true, after all. You should be happy for her."

Usagi responded by blowing a raspberry and crossing her eyes at the raven-haired teen.

"Usagi-chan, did you know the person who catches the bouquet when the bride throws it will be the next one to get married?" asked Ami in a tantalizing tone.

Usagi's eyes brightened. "Really?!" she squealed.

At that, Miss Haruna rushed over to the three girls, her eyes bugging out like a gleeful child who was just told she could eat all the candy she wanted. "Then that bouquet will be _mine_!" she declared.

As if on cue, the navy-haired woman yelled out, “Yoo-hoo!” before tossing the bouquet in the direction of Rei, Usagi and Miss Haruna. They immediately started jumping up to catch it, shouting, “It’s mine!” The red-head teacher had more of an advantage with her taller frame, but she only succeeded in knocking it towards Ami, who caught it with a shocked expression. Her face turned as red as a tomato. _‘I haven’t really thought of getting married in the future.’_

"A-mi!" all three young women cried in unison.

"Oh man!" Usagi moaned.


	8. Chapter 8

Rei had just finished getting dressed for school, and still had a bit of free time to kill before she had to leave. _'Now what shall I do? I know! I will see who has been stripping everyone of their energy.’ _ It weighed heavily on her mind ever since the Ms. Akiyama plot.

'_I'm glad Ms. Akiyama is all right. However, I will not allow this madness to continue.'_ The senshi of fire sat in front of the fire place. "Oh, sacred flames, please tell me who's behind this energy stealing scheme." The flames answered by blazing as if it were burning something that had been thrown into them, and revealed an image of a young man. He wore the same military style uniform as Jadeite did, except he had long wavy chestnut hair.

'_So this guy is our new enemy. Well, now I know who to look out for. Trust me, he's gonna be sorry.’ _Rei clenched her fists and pursed her lips whilst imagining what she would do to the shitennou for his wrongdoings. _‘It’s not going to be pretty, I can say that much.’_

"Rei! Are you still dilly-dallying? You will be late for school!" called Grandpa Hino.

The raven-haired girl heaved a sigh as she glanced at her watch. She gasped at how much time had passed. _‘Grandpa’s right. It is about time I get going. Still rude of him to interrupt me like that, though.’_ Releasing another sigh, she rose to her feet. "Okay, I'm coming, " she responded, picking up her book bag and exiting the room with a purposeful look on her face. _'I'm gonna have to tell Ami and Usagi about my discovery. Perhaps Ami can use her computer to find more information on this guy.'_

Usagi's morning classes seemed longer than usual to her. Her mind was wandering throughout most of them. _'I am so hungry,'_ she kept thinking. _'I could use a snack break right about now, but I don't wanna get in trouble again for eating in class. Not today, anyway.'_

Too late. The blonde teen's tummy started growling. She gave a frustrated sigh. _'Nooo, why did this have to happen now? I hope Haruna-sensei didn't hear that. Otherwise, I'll be in big trouble. What do I do? What do I do? I have to think of something fast or else I'm dead!'_ But the question was what?

'_Oh, would you please be quiet?' _Usagi mentally urged_. 'I can't feed you right now.' _The gurgling noise wouldn't stop.

Usagi gritted her teeth and let out a low growl. _'That does it.' _She knew she would be in big trouble for eating in class but she didn't care. Just as she was about to reach into her bag and pull out her bento box, the lunch bell rang. She heaved a sigh of relief. _'That was perfect timing.' _She tried her hardest not to show how overjoyed she really was, even though it was a tall order for her.

Usagi reached into her bag and pulled out her bento box. "Lunch time!" she said in a sing-song voice. She prepared to take a large bite of her rice cake. Next to her, Naru was reading a newspaper and several classmates crowded around the red-head. The ditzy blonde rested her chopsticks down and wandered over to the red head, standing next to Ami’s desk. "Hey Naru-chan, what are you reading about?" she asked, trying to sound interested.

"There is an article on the famous photographer, Kijin Shinokawa," answered Naru.

"Oooo! I wanna see!" The blonde girl peered down at the article her friend was reading and perused it, her eyes growing wide as saucers. "I can't believe how well he has done considering he's only in junior high like we are!" she gushed. "And look! He goes right to Gohongi Number 1 Junior High School! That's near Rei’s! Maybe we can go there after school to get his autograph!"

Usually Naru would tease her best friend for being such a ham, but this time her eyes lit up with excitement. "Yeah!"

Usagi took the newspaper and showed it to Ami, who was sitting quietly at her desk. "Hey Ami-chan! You want to come with us?"

"No thanks. I do not really have an interest in meeting Kijin," answered Ami.

Usagi blinked in surprise before eyeing her friend as if she had grown an extra head. "What? How can you be so calm about this?"

"I wouldn't be able to. I have to go to cram school then."

Usagi sighed. "You're gonna waste away your whole youth if you only spend it doing schoolwork."

"Schoolwork _is _a part of my youth," Ami responded. She looked hurt that Usagi didn't seem to understand.

"Oh, this is pointless," the blonde mumbled, wearily rubbing her forehead. _' Oh well. At least I won't have to go alone_. _I have to say, though, Ami doesn’t know what she’s missing.’ _Shrugging her shoulders, she placed her notepad in her desk.

As soon as the final bell rang, Usagi grabbed her notepad and backpack, then bolted out of the classroom. Naru had just barely finished packing away her books. "Hey! Wait up, will ya!"

"The way she acts, you'd think she had never seen a famous person before," commented a girl with low cut red hair.

"I know right?" another girl agreed. Rolling her eyes, she and the others ran after Usagi. They nearly got the wind knocked out of them, but finally managed to catch up with the blonde, taking a few moments to catch their breaths.

Usagi heard the heavy panting, and turned to her friends with a semi-apologetic look. "Sorry. I just got excited." She let out a sheepish giggle.

"That's nothing new," Naru muttered.

"What was that?"

"Never mind," answered Naru, not wanting to start an argument. "Let's go, shall we?"

"Now you're talking!" The four junior high girls briskly walked to Kijin's junior high school. "Ooh I am so nervous," squealed Usagi.

Naru gave her friend a funny look. _"You're _nervous? It was you who wanted to meet the photographer so badly."

"I know, but...what if I klutz out or make an idiot of myself?"

Naru nodded, knowing such things were very probable, not to mention her ability to relate. "Just relax. I am sure Kijin-san is a normal guy."

Usagi gave the red-head a grateful look. "I hope you're right." Plastering a grin on her face, she and her friends finally arrived at the school. Her grin faded when she saw the massive crowd of people surrounding the photographer trying to get pictures of him. _'Whoa! It looks like a circus! At this rate we will never get close to Kijin-kun.'_

The girls watched as two reporters stood on opposite sides of Kijin. "So, tell me, Mr. Shinokawa, how do you feel about receiving the highest honor for Japanese Pictures?" one of them inquired.

Kijin gave a self-conscious smile, his cheeks turning bright red at all the attention. "I feel wonderful," he answered.

"Do you think you will still take scenic photographs?"

"Yes, I plan to." Kijin took a peek at his watch, his smile fading to be replaced by a frown. _'I would have to go now if I want to take more pictures and do my homework.'_ His brow creased as he wracked his brain for a way to conclude the interview without seeming rude.

Usagi glanced at her friends. "Okay, I think now is a great time to go talk to the photographer."

"Okay." All four girls proceeded to approach Kijin, but Rei immediately dashed in their trajectory, spreading out both arms.

"Stop! This is as far as you go!" commanded the raven-haired girl with a no-nonsense air. She shot the girls a disapproving look with several darts.

Usagi growled, clenching her fists to resist the urge to shove the girl out of the way. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"Don't act like a bunch of rabid fangirls!" Rei scolded.

"What's wrong with getting an autograph from my favorite celebrity?!"

Naru wisely kept her mouth shut, instead settling for shooting the raven-haired girl a dirty look. '_Geez, I wonder who made her security_._ Not that I want the autograph quite as badly, but still…_’

Rei’s expression remained firm. She avoided the red-head’s eyes to focus her attention on the blonde. "I'm just saying if you do not have any sort of interest in photography, don't ask Kijin for his autograph just because he's a famous person!” she chided, her voice raising a bit.

"Who I ask for an autograph is none of your business!" snapped Usagi, mimicking Rei’s hard look. She was _extremely_ close to pushing the girl down _for real_, which she had never done before_._

Rei drew in a deep breath, ready to yell at the blonde about how shallow she was, but the photographer came between her and Usagi. "Please stop bickering. I’m getting a headache."

The two girls looked ashamed of themselves for their behavior in front of Kijin. "Sorry," they both mumbled. As if on cue, the reporters took their leave.

Kijin stood on top of the cliff at the coast, releasing a blissful sigh at the peaceful atmosphere and the breeze nipping at his neck. The glare of the sunlight pierced his irises, prompting him to move to a shadier area. _'This sunset is beautiful...I must have it in my photo collection, and I want it to be perfect.' _ He held up the camera, focusing it on the sun. Just as he prepared to click on the shutter, the ledge beneath him crumbled, causing him to slip. "Aaaah!" he screamed. He closed his eyes, preparing for death to claim him.

All of a sudden, the young photographer felt a strong arm gripping his hand and pulling him up onto a smoother surface. “Be careful,” he heard an unfamiliar male’s voice warning him.

Kijin slowly reopened his eyes, letting out a deep sigh and panting whilst waiting for his rapid heartbeat to calm down. He gazed around, then glanced up to identify his rescuer, a slight frown crossing his features at the unfamiliar young man standing just several feet away. _‘Never mind that you hadn’t seen him before. He saved your life,’_ he mentally told himself. He took a deep breath. "Thank you very much. What's your name?"

"That's not important," answered Nephrite. "Here, I'll get your camera for you." He reached over and placed his hand on the large camera, engraving his evil magical energy draining crest on it before picking it up to return to the photographer.

Kijin accepted the camera, examining it for cracks and heaving a sigh of relief when he saw there were none. He masked a sheepish look at nearly forgetting Nephrite was still standing there as his eyes landed on the star shitennou. "Thanks again.”

Nephrite merely gave a slight nod, appearing unfazed. "Not to worry. There was no damage done to it. By the way, I am a big fan of your photography. Keep up the good work, Kijin-san." He walked away.

Kijin watched Nephrite take his leave with a bewildered expression on his face. _'This stranger is very supportive, whoever he is. I can’t thank him enough for saving me. He has made me decide to take more than just scenic photographs. My parents are always telling me to expand my horizon, after all. '_ He exited the site as well, a small smile forming on his lips as an idea slowly came to him.

(planetarium)

A wicked grin formed on Nephrite’s lips as he replayed his encounter with the young photographer. _‘If only he knew my **rescue** was merely a ruse to lure him into my trap. Such a foolish little boy.’_ A touch of nausea surged through his abdominal region at the brief thawing of his heart, but he shook his head to shut down the regretful chain of thought._ ‘I needed him, after all.’_ His grin faded and was replaced by a meditative expression as the observatory unit darkened. "Stars know everything. Point me to my next victim." A laser appeared, striking him in the forehead as the stars revealed an image of Kijin before a bright light shone on the magazine that laid open at the star shitennou’s feet. "Sirius, the star of evil in the dark sky points to Kijin Shinokawa. I thought I felt a strong force coming from him during our encounter. Well, by taking photographs of women, he will be a wonderful supplier of energy to the Great Queen Metallia!" He let out a diabolical laugh.

Ruby, who had previously been assisting the twins in the kitchen, materialized to hear her master laughing. A small smile formed on her lips and she let out an endeared chuckle. _‘The newest plot must be going well thus far. I’m glad. Anything to silence that worthless, impudent Zoisite.’ _Conjuring a blue colored crystal ball, she cleared her throat, prompting Nephrite to face her.

"Here." Ruby handed the crystal ball to the star shitennou, which he accepted with a grateful smile.

“Thank you.” Nephrite admired the orb, then his smile turned sinister as an idea of a possible way to execute the plan came to him. _‘It will be a slight alteration in strategy, which is in order at this point. I know just the one.’_ He chuckled evilly before his expression morphed to be all-business. "Cameran, come forth!"

A female youma with dark aqua colored hair and humpy shoulders, dressed in a leotard appeared bowing before Nephrite. "Yes, Master Nephrite. What evil deed shall I aid you with?"

"I want you to seize Kijin's energy once it reaches its peak. I also want you to dispose of the nosy senshi, should they interfere,” responded the shitennou as he handed his underling the crystal ball.

Cameran wore an evil grin whilst accepting the item from Nephrite. "Consider it done, my master. You won't be disappointed." She gave another bow before teleporting away.

Nephrite knew he was taking a chance sending a youma to gather the energy, but he got an uneasy feeling in his gut his cover would be blown sooner than he intended, which he couldn’t have. _‘Cameran does have the potential to dispose of those meddling pests forever, unlike her predecessors. I sincerely hope she doesn’t fail. My patience is becoming thin.’_

Ruby’s lips curled into a knowing smile at the star shitennou’s cautious approach and choice of minion for the assignment. “Great going, sir. If anyone is capable of ousting those pathetic little girls for all eternity, it’s Cameran. I imagine you must be ready for a break, which is well deserved at this point.”

A small reserved smile formed on the star shitennou’s lips, then it faded and was replaced by a malicious smirk. _‘Senshi, your meddling will come to an end very soon.’_

(Shinokawa residence-bedroom)

Kijin sat at his desk with his chin in his hands, looking pensive as he tapped his foot. _‘Hmmm…what type of photography should I partake in this time? There are so many possibilities. Perhaps I can experiment?’_ His mind drifted towards the moment he spotted Usagi and her friends being chided by Rei, a small grin forming on his lips. _'Now that I have a chance to think in silence like this, I have to admit those girls are rather cute. This gives me an idea.’ _ The grin on his lips grew. He reached for his mobile phone and dialed the number of his publicist.

Two rings. "Hello?"

Kijin smiled in relief at the sound of his publicist’s voice. "Hello, this is Kijin speaking."

"Hi there. Is anything wrong?"

"No, I am calling to make a request of you," answered the young man.

Although Kijin couldn't see it, the publicist looked surprised. "Oh? What might that be?"

"I have just thought about having a modeling contest for all the young women three days from now, and I need you to make an ad for it in the newspaper. "

"Consider it done. Just let me know all of the details of this contest."

"I will. Thank you. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

Kijin pulled a paper from the stack, picked up a pen and got to work designing the flier. _'Scenic photographs are vapid. From now on, I will only take pictures of beautiful young women.’ _ He gave an evil chuckle. _‘Stupid human girls…you will all be pawns for the great Queen Metallia!'_

(next day-after school)

The news of the modeling contest had been printed in every newspaper and posters were plastered all over Tokyo. Whilst walking home, Usagi spotted a young man approaching her with a brochure in his hands, which made her stop in her tracks. She quirked an eyebrow when he held it out to her.

“Here you go, Ms. Tsukino. I think this will be of interest to you,” said the gentleman.

Usagi looked surprised as she took the brochure, then her expression relaxed into a grateful smile. “Oh, thank you!”

The mail courier gave a smile of his own. “My pleasure,” he responded before taking his leave.

Usagi stared after the mailman for a bit, then perused the brochure she received. Her eyes popped open wide and she got an excited grin on her face. She hugged the pamphlet close to her chest, resisting the urge to jump up and down as well. _‘After all, that jerk Mamoru could be here…the last thing I need is for him to be getting on my case. Still doesn’t change the fact that this could be my lucky day, though.’_ Her grin faltered, turning into a panicked expression at the possibility of her “nemesis” lurking nearby. Breaking into a sprint, she dashed home as if her life was in danger. She stood in front of her house to catch her breath before walking inside and running upstairs. “Hi Mom! I’m home!” the blonde called over her shoulder.

Ikuko emerged from the kitchen just in time to see her daughter racing up the stairs. “Hi honey. Welcome home.” She could only shake her head and chuckle. _‘My, such energy. If only she were not so lazy.’ _

Usagi burst into her bedroom, dumped her backpack on the bed and started dancing around the room. Luna watched her for a bit, then yelled, “Ahem!”, making her nearly stumble. “Hey! You nearly gave me a heart attack!” she yelled, shooting the feline guardian a dirty look whilst clutching at her chest with her free hand.

Luna appeared undaunted by the blonde’s accusation. “Well…at least I got your attention,” she stated a matter of factually. “What’s got you in such a good mood, anyway?”

"I just got a brochure for an upcoming modeling contest!” squealed Usagi. "I am so gonna do it! I will have a chance to meet the photographer since that Rei ruined everything yesterday!"

Luna listened to the blonde gush and rant for awhile, then heaved a heavy sigh. She could see it would not be easy to get down to business, but she knew of a good place to start. “I see. Now, if I can have your attention from that for a minute, I have a cell phone for you, one that is strictly for sailor business.”

Usagi looked a bit dazed, just barely hearing the black cat. "Now it seems all my dreams will come true," she said in a dreamy voice.

Luna peered up at the ceiling as if asking for help, then back at the blonde. “I have already given Rei and Ami their cell phones,” she continued.

Usagi’s ears perked up and her eyes brightened at that. "Oh cool! Then I can call Ami and tell her about this contest!"

All Luna could do was groan and shake her head in dismay. “Oh, what am I going to do with this girl?” she muttered under her breath.

Usagi pressed a button, and the phone was answered in midring. "Hello?"

"Hi-hi Ami-chan, this is Usagi calling!"

"Usagi! Is something wrong?" asked Ami.

"No, for once everything is going perfect! I just wanted to tell you I've decided to become a model."

"Usagi! You shouldn't use the cell phone for personal matters! If you will excuse me, I am working on a math problem." _CLUNK._

For a moment, Usagi just stared at the phone with her mouth hanging open. "Well that was rude…but she can be that way! I will just call Rei!" She brought up a finger to dial Rei’s number, but the fire senshi’s harsh scolding from the previous day rang in her ears.

_*Flashback begins*_

"_If you're not interested in photography, don't ask for his autograph just because he's a celebrity."_

_*Flashback ends*_

"Forget it. All she will do is make fun of me or lecture me like always!" Usagi perused the instructions on the pamphlet, wrote her name down before slipping it into the provided envelope and sealing it. A small smile formed on her lips as a thought occurred to her that her family should know. _‘Dad’s not home yet, but I can at least tell Mom and Shingo. Surely, Mom will support me, even if that snot-nosed brat doesn’t.’_ She left her room, making her way downstairs to the kitchen to see her mother stirring something in a pot and Shingo seated at the table, doing homework. "Mom and Shingo, I have some big news!"

Shingo glanced up and shot his sister a smirk whilst Ikuko stopped stirring and turned to face her daughter with a curious smile. "What is it, darling?" she asked.

"Did you decide to get rid of that ridiculous hairstyle?" mocked Shingo.

Usagi gave her brother a dirty look. "_No_, but I am going to be a model. Isn’t it great?” She started grinning like an idiot. Her cheeks became sore, but she didn’t care. _‘Soon I will become a celebrity and I will show everyone who’s ever doubted me they’re wrong!’_

Contrary to the blonde’s anticipation, her mother didn't say anything, and Shingo just burst into a fit of laughter, at which her grin faded to be replaced with a scowl. "Knock it off!" she snapped, clenching her fists to calm the anger burning inside her.

Shingo only laughed louder. "It's so funny! There is more to being a model than looks. Not that you have them to begin with, but you also have to be smart!"

Usagi glowered at Shingo. "So? It's no big deal. I will just study hard from now on."

Shingo snorted. "That would be impossible for someone as stupid as you are."

Usagi attempted to harden her eyes even more, but tears began welling up in them. "Awwww, Mom! Please tell Shingo to stop it!"

"Well, you can do whatever you want to, as long as you're serious about it," responded Ikuko.

Usagi looked as if she had been punched in the gut. "Thanks, you've made me feel a lot better!" She proceeded to sob loudly, causing Ikuko to rub her forehead and Shingo to cover his ears in pain. In a huff, she marched out of the kitchen and out of the house.

The moon senshi peered down at the envelope in her hands, flinching as if it hurt her to look at it. _'Maybe I should just rip this up and forget the idea already. No, girl, that’s no way to think! Don’t let Shingo see you as a quitter. That’s just what he wants.'_ A tiny smile threatened to escape as she felt her resolve strengthening once more. _‘I know! I’ll pay Motoki-onesan a visit. I know he’ll cheer me up. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen him, anyway.’_ She made her way to the arcade. 

(Crown Arcade)

Motoki had been assisting a young boy with the Sailor V game when he heard the sound of the door sliding open and footsteps. He went to see who had entered, a smile forming on his lips when he saw it was Usagi. “Hi, Usagi-chan,” he greeted.

“Oh, hi, Motoki-onesan,” responded the blonde. She tried to smile, but it wavered.

Motoki’s smile turned into a frown upon noticing how depressed Usagi looked. “Is something wrong? You seem sad.”

“Yes. It’s my family. You see, I was thinking of entering this upcoming modelling contest, but my family is _so _unsupportive. I haven’t told my dad yet, but my mom doesn’t think I’m serious about it and my brother laughed at me. I was on the verge of quitting before I came here.” Usagi fell silent and released a dejected sigh, although her chest felt a bit lighter.

Motoki’s frown disappeared, changing into a firm expression, as if to show he disliked Usagi’s talk of quitting. "Forget what your brother told you," he advised. "You cannot give up before you even start. If you want to get into modeling, just go for it! Facing challenges and dealing with them will make you stronger."

Usagi looked thoughtful and her face brightened a bit. "You really believe that?"

Before Motoki could answer, Mamoru cut in, "Motoki is right. It is always good to face a challenge, although you won’t succeed.”

Usagi’s smile turned into a scowl, and she let out a grunt. "Who asked for your opinion?! I was talking to Motoki, not you!"

"I'm just trying to help you, Usagi," Mamoru defended. "There is more to being a good model than a pleasant appearance."

Usagi’s scowl softened a smidge, a tinge of curiosity appearing on her features. "Oh? What else is there?"

"Beauty comes from within," stated the black-haired young man. "A model also has to have a kind heart, guts as well as intelligence, and you do not have either."

"I have more of a kind heart than you do!" the blonde shot back.

Mamoru appeared undaunted by Usagi's remark. "A photographer who wants to take a picture of _any _girl because of her looks is second rate or third rate."

"Thanks, but I don't need to hear any more of your nonsense! I will enter that contest and prove you wrong!" Usagi walked away in a huff.

Motoki, who had been silently listening to the argument, wandered over to Mamoru with a look that was a cross between pity and amusement. "You know, Mamoru, Usagi is blossoming into a young lady," he said. "Why do you treat her so poorly?"

"I really don't mean to. It's just for some reason we cannot get along. It's hard for me to explain why," answered Mamoru.

Usagi took a walk to calm herself down, taking her annoyance out on rocks along the way. She heaved a large sigh, then wandered over to the mailbox. _'The mail does come around this time...I hope I get that acceptance letter…then I can show Shingo, Mamoru and anyone who doubts me.' _She spotted Shingo leaving his best friend’s house. Her eyes met his, and his lips curled into a devilish smirk, but she merely peered down at the ground, pretending to be fascinated by the concrete. _‘He had better not come this way if he knows what’s good for him.’_

Unfortunately for the blonde, Shingo wandered straight over to her, clearly not understanding her nonverbal message. "What happened? Did you get rejected?" he teased.

Usagi glanced up at the little boy with a glare. "Get lost, Shingo or else you'll be meatloaf!"

Shingo smirked…he always liked seeing Usagi lose her temper with him. "Give it up! You're only wasting your time!"

Usagi was about to retort something nasty when all of a sudden a mailman on a motorbike stopped by. "Ms. Tsukino, you have some mail," he said, placing an envelope in her hands.

"Thank you."

"My pleasure." The mailman sped off.

The smirk remained on Shingo’s features, only growing wider. "It's probably junk mail."

Usagi took a look at the address and her face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Nope, it's from Kijin."

"Probably a rejection letter! Haha!" The little boy raced off before Usagi could think of saying or doing anything bad to him.

Usagi ripped open the envelope, took out the paper and unfolded it. As she proceeded to read the letter, a grin spread across her face. "Yay! I passed the first screening! "She turned around and gave a big smile, grinning from ear to ear. No one, not even Mamoru or Shingo could possibly put a damper on her spirits now.

(later-Usagi’s bedroom)

Usagi walked around, balancing a stack of books on her head. They were quite unsteady, making the feat difficult to accomplish. She stood still and reached up a hand to fix the wobbling books before beginning her walk again. "A-E-I-O-U," she recited in an off-key voice.

Luna, who had been watching the blonde, felt a tickling feeling in her stomach. "What in the world do you think you're doing?" she asked with laughter in her voice.

"Practicing to be the perfect model. What does it look like? I'm gonna improve my singing skills now." Usagi slowly wandered over to the nightstand containing her music stereo.

Luna looked at Usagi as if she had lost her mind. "You'd only make the audience leave."

All of the books tumbled down from Usagi's head. “See what you've caused?!" she whined. "Remain calm, Usagi. That's it…a model always keeps her cool, no matter what."

"Give me a break," the feline guardian muttered, keeling over.

"Okay, what do I wear?" pondered Usagi. "If I am to become a model, I will need a hip outfit! Oops, I almost forgot! The invitation said to bring a bathing suit. I am sure I have one good enough. Can't go wrong with them." The young girl knelt down, pulled open the second to last bottom drawer and pulled out her pink swimsuit. She held it up to examine and her grin was replaced by a horrified expression to see it was full of tiny holes. "Oh no! Moths ate it all up! Waaaah!"

Luna cringed at the earache inducing sound. _'Well, it is possibly for the best…she can use the weekend to study and do her homework. I have a bad feeling about this contest.'_

Usagi stopped wailing. _'I can't go to the contest with my bathing suit looking like that. I have to do something! Time is running out.'_

(day of contest)

After finishing off a satisfying breakfast of eggs and hot cakes, Usagi raced upstairs to her bedroom, shutting the door behind her. She spun around with a dreamy expression on her face, humming to herself as she took off her pajamas. Retrieving her bathing suit from the top of her tall bureau, she stepped into it, giving a small self-satisfied grin as she studied herself in the mirror. _‘Way to go Usagi for solving the bathing suit problem! And just my luck, it happened to be on sale, too, so I didn’t blow my allowance._’ She put on a dress over her suit, stepped into her moccasins, then went into the bathroom to brush her teeth again.

Luna observed as the blonde became engrossed in her preparation for the contest with a look of amusement on her face. _‘I rather like this side of her. If only she was that thorough when getting ready for school.’_

Usagi emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later. She took one last glance at herself in the mirror, and for the first time in ages, she couldn’t help smiling at the girl looking back at her. “Hmm, not too shabby if I do say so myself. “ She then grabbed her keys and purse before exiting her room, racing down the stairs. She heard footsteps that made her turn around and glance over her shoulder. A confused frown crossed her features when she saw it was Luna. “What gives, Luna? Why are you following me?”

“Why, I’m coming along with you, of course,” answered the feline, as if the answer should have been obvious.

Usagi twisted her mouth to the side and wrinkled her brow as she wracked her brain for a way to say no. On the one hand, she did want Luna to witness her shining moment, but on the other hand, she didn’t want to appear as being unable to take care of herself. “I don’t know about that, Luna. I don’t think pets are allowed. You would get thrown out for sure,” she protested in a hushed tone.

Luna looked slightly exasperated, but she kept her tone calm as she responded, “I am well aware of the “no pets” rule. However, I’m _not _a pet, and I want to be nearby in case there is trouble. “

“I know you’re not a pet, but I just---” began Usagi. A firm look from her guardian caused her to fall silent.

“No buts, Usagi. It’s my duty to look out for your wellbeing and make sure you don’t do anything foolish,” said Luna.

The blonde sighed, for Luna’s tone was adamant. She put up her arms. “Okay, okay, I surrender!” she conceded in a loud whisper.

Luna felt the beginnings of a smirk forming on her lips, which she camouflaged by a simple pleased expression. “Good. Now let’s get going. You’re already running late.”

“No thanks to you,” Usagi muttered with mock irritation. She practically jogged to the front door, unlocked and opened it. “See you later, Mom and Dad!” she called over her shoulder before stepping outside. Luna just managed to slip through the crack of the door before she shut it. She took in a deep breath and exhaled, then proceeded to make her way to the hotel with Luna close behind her. _‘Oh, I hope I don’t miss the introduction…have to hurry.’_ Usagi broke into a sprint, desperate to make it on time.

Luna could only roll her eyes as she ran to keep up with the blonde. _‘Seriously…?’_

(New Japan Hotel)

By the time Usagi arrived with Luna in tow, she was panting. She took several minutes to catch her breath and then heaved a huge sigh of relief to see orientation had not begun yet. _‘That was close.’_ A swarm of butterflies fluttered around in her stomach at the sight of the large crowd, making it slightly nauseous. _'Wow...all of these women must be here to try and win this contest…I think I'm over my head. Maybe Mamoru and Shingo were right.'_

'_Stop thinking like that, Usagi,'_ a voice inside the blonde's head chided. _'Giving up is what Shingo and Mamoru want you to do, remember?'_ She inhaled another deep breath and exhaled it before following the crowd to the ballroom. _‘Just stay calm and believe in yourself. You can do this.’ _ Her palms became sweaty, and she rubbed them on her dress as she waited for the event to begin.

A middle-aged gentleman walked onto the center of the stage. "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen! I would now like to present to you the contest host, Kijin Shinokawa!"

A vast majority of the crowd erupted into cheers as Kijin walked onstage. Usagi felt her cheeks becoming hot. On top of that, the butterflies had yet to die down. She remained silent, giving him her best attentive look, and the audience did the same.

"Thank you," said Kijin. He faced the massive group of people with a nonchalant expression. "Congratulations to all you ladies who have made it this far! I have just a few ground rules for this contest! I want you to follow these rules exactly around. Got it?"

"Yes," several ladies chorused.

Kijin gave a slight smile. “Good.” His smile then faded, changing into an all-business expression. “The rules are quite simple, actually. You girls are to go into the dressing room and change into your swimsuits. Once that is done, you must assemble yourselves in groups of five and wait your turn to be photographed. The winners will be chosen afterwards. No food, drink, drugs, pets or smoking will be allowed.” At that, Usagi peered down at Luna with a look that said,_ ‘I told you so,’_ prompting the cat to avoid her eyes. “Anyone caught breaking the rules will be disqualified from the contest. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes sir!”

“Excellent. You may go now. May the best contestant win!”

With that, the chosen contestants strolled out of the ballroom. A tiny evil smirk formed on Kijin’s lips as he watched them take their leave. _‘Stupid human girls. Soon, all of that wasted energy will be sacrificed to the Great Queen Metallia.’_ His smirk widened, and a sinister laugh erupted from deep within his throat.

Usagi made her way to the dressing room, carrying Luna in her purse. By then, the butterflies in her stomach had settled down somewhat, but they were replaced by a large knot, accompanied by queasiness. The sweat returned to her palms as guilt gnawed away at her conscience. _‘What am I gonna do? Kijin said that anyone who breaks the rules will be disqualified, but how do I make Luna see that when she wouldn’t take no for an answer?’_ A bead of sweat appeared on her forehead, and her face was flushed.

"I don't think you should go through with this contest, Usagi-chan. I have a very bad feeling you and the other young women are walking into a trap," said Luna.

At first Usagi looked confused, then a frown mixed with annoyance crossed her features as Luna’s warning reached her formerly preoccupied mind. "Huh? What makes you say that?" she asked.

"Just a hunch. It seems unusual that the photographer would allow just any girl to enter this contest. Also, something about his demeanor disturbs me. "

"That's a part of Kijin's charm. He's a creative genius."

Luna breathed an exasperated sigh, appearing as if she were on the verge of clawing away her fur. "That may be, but he had no interest in photographing women before."

"So? People can change their minds." Usagi released a loud groan of frustration. _'If she's trying to discourage me from pursuing my dream, it won't work.'_ Fortunately, Naru and Ms. Haruna walked up to her before she could voice her musings. As if on cue, Luna ran off, at which Usagi sighed in relief. _‘I don’t know where she went, but at least it saves me from getting in trouble.’_

"Hello there, Usagi-chan," greeted Naru.

"So, you passed the screening, too, haven't you?" asked Ms. Haruna a bit too cheerfully.

Usagi plastered a big smile on her lips. "Hi, you guys! It's nice to see some worthy competition."

"Likewise," agreed Naru. "Do you know what we should be doing now?"

"We change into our swimsuits in the dressing room and wait for our turn."

"Thanks."

Usagi sat in front of the mirror, making sure her hair was still kept whilst her best friend and teacher got dressed. She knew she should be doing the same, but anxiety rose up inside her, manifesting in her eyes. _‘I so hope neither Naru-chan nor Haruna-sensei laugh at me. I did the best I could.’_ She shook her head to rid it of any doubt. _‘It looks like this contest won't be so hard to win after all.’ _ She put on her best toothy grin, mentally wincing at how goofy she looked.

Naru and Ms. Haruna stepped out of their stalls, revealing their swimwear. Usagi turned a bright shade of green at how stylish they both looked. _‘I wonder which store Haruna-sensei shops at.’_

Ms. Haruna studied her figure in the mirror, pinching her midsection, thighs and hips. Her cheerful expression turned into worry. "I think I've gained some weight. I hope this doesn't jeopardize my chances."

“I don’t think it will. Being stick thin isn’t everything.” Naru turned to see what Usagi’s swimsuit looked like, and a gobsmacked expression formed on her features to see she had not changed yet. "Usagi-chan, didn't you bring your bathing suit?"

'_Rats. I was hoping she wouldn't ask me that.'_ Usagi squirmed slightly and twiddled her thumbs as her face turned a deep shade of red. "Yes…it's under this dress."

"Well, aren't you going to take it off?"

"Uh-huh." The blonde heaved a loud sigh and took her time removing her dress whilst grimacing.

Naru gave the swimsuit a quick glance over and then faced the blonde, who looked as if she were expecting a disparaging comment. She rested a reassuring hand on her friend’s shoulder. "Cheer up. It looks cute.”

Usagi shrugged. "Well…if you say so."

Luna watched Kijin intently, quietly drumming her paws on the ground. So far, very little had happened. The young photographer averted his sharp gaze on the unsuspecting group of young women with a devious grin on his lips. _‘Silly girls. A pity your modelling careers are about to end.’_

Luna sighed and placed a paw on her forehead. '_Why is he taking so long? I haven't got all day to waste.'_ She brought up her paw to stifle a yawn.

Kijin gave a wicked grin as he lowered the camera, focusing it on the ladies. "Give me lots of energy, girlies! That's it! Now stay right there while I capture all five of you!" He clicked on the shutter, and the camera emitted a beam of dark energy, engulfing the girls.

Luna’s bored look turned into one of horror as she let out a gasp. Her whiskers and tail tingled at the shift in atmosphere. "Just as I feared. This is a Dark Kingdom plot." She sprinted back to the dressing room.

(dressing room)

The knot in Usagi’s stomach shrunk considerably. Her legs became jittery and her stomach started doing flipflops. She gave a big grin as she anticipated her moment to shine. _'I can hardly wait!'_

Naru tilted her head at her best friend’s gleeful expression, shrugging her shoulders. She glanced at Ms. Haruna, her heart racing like mad. "I’m so nervous," she confided to the young educator.

"Don't worry, Naru-chan. You'll do just fine."

Usagi was about to take one last peek at herself in the mirror when she heard light breathing behind her, which made her turn around. Standing there was Luna, who had a “This is urgent” look on her features, making the blonde furrow her brow. "What's the matter, Luna? Why do you look so frantic?"

"There's big trouble in this "so called" competition! I saw five girls disappear in front of Kijin's camera. If you, Naru and your teacher let him a picture, you all will suffer the same fate," came the reply.

Usagi frowned before giving her feline guardian an incredulous look. _‘Seriously, must she always try to spoil my fun?’_ Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What are you talking about?"

Luna could see getting through to Usagi would be like pulling teeth, but her expression remained firm. "The Dark Kingdom has struck again. I have the feeling Kijin was selected to be their pawn. You need to call Rei and Ami to tell them about this."

Usagi looked at Luna as if she had just spoken an alien language. "Kijin? No way! That's crazy talk! He’s much too nice for that." Deep down the blonde knew it was a possibility, with the uneasy feeling she was beginning to feel in her chest, but there was still a hint of doubt on her features. _‘She was against this contest from the start.’ _

Luna gritted her teeth at Usagi's stubbornness. "Move it or your new bathing suit will be just as damaged as your old one!"

"What?! You can't do that!"

"Usagi? Is something wrong?" asked Naru, concerned.

Usagi got a panicked expression on her face. “No, it's nothing at all,” she answered, before letting out a deep sigh. _'Wow, that was close. She would be freaked if she knew Luna could talk.'_

"Okay, let's go and become supermodels!" said the teacher cheerfully.

The two red-heads exited the dressing room, as did Usagi. She proceeded to follow them, feeling Luna’s sharp glare on her. She threw up her hands. “Okay, okay, I’ll call Ami-chan and Rei already!” She squatted down and a small smirk formed on her lips as she thought of a sneaky plan. _‘She’s crazy if she thinks I’ll let her stop me.’_ Pulling her cell phone out of her purse, she pressed a button and once again, Ami answered. "Hi Ami-chan! It's me again. I'm over at the modeling contest with Luna and she's trying to destroy my dreams! She’s not even supposed to be here in the first place!"

Luna looked indignant. "That's not true at all, Ami-chan. There is trouble at the contest. I want you to alert Rei right away!"

“All right, Luna. Got it,” said Ami before hanging up. Usagi hung up, too, then dropped the phone back into her purse before rising to her full height.

"Hurry up, Usagi-chan!" Naru called over her shoulder.

Ms. Haruna turned to face Naru. “Yeah, I have definitely gained weight,” she said with a chuckle. She and Naru headed towards the exit together.

With an excited grin, Usagi followed her best friend and teacher, determined to make her dream come true. _‘It’s time for Luna to see I’m not gonna let anyone stand in my way.’ _

Luna nearly face palmed at Usagi’s hardheadedness and could see that she was going to have to make her listen the hard way. “Wait!” She pounced and bit one of the bows off the blonde’s bathing suit.

Usagi stopped short and her grin faded, her heart skipping a beat at the sudden maneuver. She looked as if smoke would rise from her ears as she spotted a bow in the cat’s mouth. "Luna!" she screamed. "You ruined my new swimsuit! I will never forgive you!" She chased her feline guardian down the hall, mentally cursing her the entire time. They stopped at the end of the corridor and took a peek through the glass door. Panic crossed the blonde’s features upon seeing Naru and Ms. Haruna about to be photographed. "Oh no! I’m supposed to be with them! It looks like I will never be a model. I've been left behind and it's all your fault, Luna!" She shot her feline guardian a dirty look.

Luna’s only response was a smug smile. _‘She will see the truth soon enough.’_

Kijin faced the two red-heads with an evil grin on his lips. “I need you ladies to remain still as I absorb your essence,” he instructed. He lifted the camera and focused it on them, pressing the shutter. Once again, it emitted a massive black energy ribbon, swallowing both student and teacher.

Usagi let out a gasp of horror. "What the heck?" She peered down at her feet to hide the shame in her eyes of being doubtful from Luna. The last thing she wanted was to have salt poured in her wounds.

The smugness disappeared from Luna’s smile, changing into satisfaction. "I see you've finally come to your senses."

Usagi gave a light nod. “Yes, I have. We gotta stop this!” She pushed the door open and stepped outside with Luna scurrying beside her. 

An aura surrounded Kijin as he felt a burst of power rushing through him. His pupils became diluted and his smirk widened. "I enjoy photographing only young beautiful girls!" He broke into uproarious laughter, which ceased when his eyes landed on Usagi. He shot her a sneer. "You will be my next victim, stupid girl." He raised his camera to focus on the blonde and lifted a finger, preparing to press the shutter once again.

Usagi just barely managed to hold back a shudder at the look in Kijin’s eyes. _‘So creepy…but I can’t let him think I’m scared.’_ She faced him with a glare. "Don't even think of hitting the shutter button,” she warned in the sternest voice she could muster.

Kijin lowered his camera ever so slightly. "Why not?"

"Because only third-rate photographers would behave the way you are right now!" Usagi stepped out of the camera’s trajectory, tripping and banging her knee on the floor. "Ouch, that hurt!"

Luna lowered her head, releasing a groan of chagrin. "She's only repeating what Mamoru said," she muttered.

At first, Kijin looked confused as if he were trying to process the blonde’s rebuke, then the coldness returned to his eyes and the smirk reformed on his lips. “Impertinent wench!” He lifted the camera to photograph Usagi.

Luna got a grim look as she saw the teen boy preparing to unleash his wrath. “Usagi-chan! You must transform!”

Usagi had just managed to pull herself together after the stumble before her guardian’s warning reached her ears. "Got it! Moon Prism Power, Make Up!"

Kijin could only stare agape at the girl before him with awe and intrigue etched on his features. _'Who is this girl?'_

The moon senshi turned to Kijin with a hard look in her eyes. "You should be ashamed of yourself for only being concerned about a girl's appearance when there are other things that matter, like her heart and if she fights for justice! I'm the sailor senshi of love and justice, Sailor Moon! In the name of the Moon, I'll punish you!"

Kijin’s lips curled into another sneer. "I'd like to see you try!" He pressed the shutter, but Moon stepped to the side, avoiding the burst of energy. He gritted his teeth, before clicking the button several more times, and the senshi dodged each blast. She leaped into the air and kicked the camera out of the young man's hands, sending it flying into the pool with a loud splash. The powerful force behind the assault rendered him unconscious. Moon rushed over to his side, gently taking him in her arms. "Hang in there,” she said.

(planetarium)

Nephrite, who had been closely monitoring Kijin’s progress, gave a malicious grin upon sensing the teen boy’s surplus of evil energy and his comatose state. "Cameran, unleash your fury!"

Miki’s lips curled into a dark grin laced with a hint of excitement. It was a breath of fresh air for her to witness a battle involving an ally who had the ability to oust her enemies. “I’m looking forward to this.”

Nephrite chuckled a little. “As am I.”

(hotel poolside)

As Moon rested Kijin's unconscious form down, she heard a loud noise, which prompted her to glance up. A youma with humpy shoulders and a camera weapon materialized. She had aqua hair, black eyes, pale purple skin, turquoise lips, and was dressed in a dark purple leotard that exposed one of her pointed shoulders.

The moon senshi’s eyeballs looked as if they would roll out of their sockets and she let out a small whistle, just barely suppressing a shiver. '_What **is** it with the Dark Kingdom and their creepy monsters?’_ She quickly shook her head to rid it of frivolous thoughts, then turned to the youma with her best game face on.

The strange woman let out a malicious cackle. "I am Youma Cameran," she said. "It's time to meet your doom, Moon Brat!" She emitted a beam from her camera. Moon’s expression turned into fear and she let out a scream as she quickly rolled of the way. The beam struck Kijin, swallowing him up. When the energy dissipated, a picture laid where the teen boy once was.

Moon’s eyes grew wide. "No!" she screamed.

Luna looked stone-faced as she eyed the youma. "Don't let this monster take your picture! If she does, you will be trapped within the photograph!"

Sailor Moon felt her blood run cold. "No, I don't wanna be turned into a picture!"

"You've no choice in the matter, girlie!" taunted the youma. She emitted more beams from her camera-weapon, which the moon senshi laid down to avoid.

"Sailor Moon, be careful!" said Luna. With a threatening growl, she pounced at the camera wielding youma, claws extended.

A worried look crossed Moon’s features. "Luna, don't!" On impulse, she lunged forward to grab her feline guardian, only to be hit by the blast and disappear along with her. 

Cameran let out a loud laugh of triumph. “This was more of a breeze than I anticipated!”

(planetarium)

A smirk of delight formed on Miki’s lips at the capture of Sailor Moon. It took everything she had not to do a happy dance since she knew her ally’s job was not over. Still, the excitement over a possible victory manifested itself in her eyes.

For the first time since the mission began, Nephrite felt his lips curling into a genuinely proud grin, accompanied by a mighty wave of reassurance washing over him. “Victory is within our reach.”

Miki gave an evil chuckle. "I know. That Sailor Moon is such a gullible fool, it's pathetic! Who would have thought capturing her would be _this_ simple? Now if Cameran can just capture the other senshi as well, you will have them all, and pretty soon this miserable planet will be no more! You truly have made an excellent choice in selecting her for the task."

Nephrite’s lips quirked up into a reserved smile. “I appreciate the support, and as you know, I very much share the same belief in her capabilities. With Sailor Moon out of the way, capturing her friends should be simple.”

“My sentiments exactly.”

(poolside)

Cameran retrieved the pictures containing Luna and the moon senshi, admiring them along with Kijin’s picture. Her lips curled into a cocky grin. "I have that wretched Sailor Moon!" she gloated. "Master Nephrite will be very proud of me!"

"Guess again, slime ball!" two female voices called out in unison.

Cameran’s head snapped up to see Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars standing before her with battle stances. She shot the girls a scathing glare, then it changed into a nefarious smirk as she raised her camera weapon to focus on them. 

"Shabon Spray!"

Sailor Mars held up an odufa in front of her nose, quietly chanting, "Rin, pyou, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, sai, zen. Akuryou taisan!"

Cameran shivered a little, her teeth chattering from the chill of the disorienting fog. She spotted several anti-evil scrolls flying in her direction, and she clicked at all of them with ease. “Your efforts are useless!” she taunted before shooting a beam from her camera at the remaining senshi, causing them to disappear. She caught the photos before they could float to the ground, giving a fierce cackle. "Now that those nosy senshi are out of my way, I can give this energy I've gathered to Master Nephrite. I’m sure he would appreciate such a present."

Before Cameran could disappear, a red rose struck her camera and knocked the crystal ball out of her hand, shattering it to pieces. One by one, the victims were freed, causing their respective photos to dissolve. Kijin’s energy returned to him, and he let out a groan before fading into unconsciousness from the trauma. A look of horror appeared on the youma’s features. _‘It can’t be.’ _ She glanced up sharply, her eyes narrowing dangerously upon noticing the young man clad in a cape, tuxedo and top hat. “You meddling fool! As punishment, you will be destroyed along with these pathetic weaklings!”

(planetarium)

Miki clenched her fists at the turn of events, her blood boiling so much she felt a flame igniting inside her. Her first instinct was to electrocute Tuxedo Kamen into a crisp, but knew such rash behavior would only exacerbate the situation. _‘Relax,’_ a voice advised her. She inhaled a deep breath and released it through her nostrils whilst eyeing the caped hero. "This dork has proven to be quite the annoyance,” she growled.

"Yes,” agreed Nephrite, biting back a growl as well. His brow creased with displeasure, but his eyes held a glint of forgiveness. “However, there is still a chance Cameran can redeem herself if she acts quickly.” His expression then grew serious. He knew the loss of energy wouldn’t sit well with Beryl, even with his earlier success in that department. _‘It seems I made a grave error in entrusting the task to Cameran. Something must be done to compensate for it. Perhaps I can regather it after she eliminates the senshi and Tuxedo Kamen.’_

Miki wrung her hands, looking solemn. “I hope she does.”

(the battle)

Cameran turned to the senshi and Tuxedo Kamen, giving them a malicious smirk. “You weaklings may have been freed from my trap, but don’t think you will be so lucky this time! Prepare to meet your demise!” She aimed the camera at the group of enemies.

Sailor Moon froze in fear. "Oh no! We're toast!"

"No, you're not! You can defeat her!" Tuxedo Kamen told the blonde.

The moon senshi had to pinch herself to keep from becoming misty-eyed at the caped hero’s display of faith in her. She looked thoughtful as she wracked her brain for a way to prove him right. Her eyes popped wide open as she recalled Luna’s prior warning, then her warrior look appeared. "I've got it!" Fueled by adrenaline, she flipped backwards over Cameran, and the evil woman was hit by the attack instead.

"AAAH!" screeched the youma. "I’m being turned into a picture! There goes my chance of proving myself. To hell with all of you!" She banged her fist on the glass wall, cracking it.

Sailor Moon turned to her comrades with a courageous look in her eyes. "Ready, guys?"

"Yes!"

"Moon Tiara…"

"Shabon…"

"Fire…"

"Soul!"

"Spray!"

"Action!"

The fireball and bubbles surrounded the tiara. Horror crossed Cameran’s features as she saw the weapon heading for her. "Aaaaah!" She was sliced in half, and within seconds reduced to dust.

"Yea! We did it!" Moon cheered. She started jumping up and down.

(planetarium)

The hopeful expression on Nephrite’s face disappeared and turned into a deep frown as the hideout dimmed. "What's happening? The stars are fading." He cursed under his breath at having the victory snatched from him in such a manner. All of a sudden, he heard a feminine chuckle, at which his frown turned into a scowl. "Zoisite!" His nemesis’ name was uttered with contempt and displeasure.

Zoisite smirked whilst projecting an image himself in the observatory unit. "It seems you have failed again, Nephrite, and lost valuable energy as well."

Nephrite shot the younger shitennou a hateful glare. “You’ve nothing to gloat about. I had all three senshi captured!"

"That may be, but they were freed from your minion's captivity. I am sure Beryl will be _very _pleased with your performance,” mocked Zoisite, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Nephrite growled, then felt a smirk of his own threatening to escape. "What about you? Have you come close to locating the ginzuishou?" he countered.

The younger shitennou’s smirk faltered, turning into a flinch. He never liked having his own shortcomings thrown in his face.

"You should fulfill your own duties instead of worrying about my affairs," said Nephrite. "There are countless people on this planet who are potential energy targets! Countless!"

Zoisite frowned deeply and disappeared.

Nephrite released a heavy sigh and brought up a hand to rub his forehead. As much as he hated to admit it, there _was_ truth in the sakura’s needling, for he knew Beryl would be less than pleased, at the very least. _'There is no more room for error, which means I will have to return to my original strategy. If it means direct confrontation with the enemy, I’ll risk it. It won't matter. They’re no match for my superior abilities.'_


	9. Chapter 9

Nephrite stood before his queen with his fists clenched, feeling the palms of his hands sweat as he waited for her to speak. There was no doubt in his mind Beryl would chide him for failing to capture energy _and _defeat the senshi. _‘After all, it is not an error she will allow to go unnoticed.’ _He put on a nonchalant expression, but barely managed to hold back a shudder, for the possibility of being cast into Eternal Sleep as punishment was not pleasant to think about.

"Nephrite!" barked the witch queen. "Tell me what is happening with those nosy sailor senshi. You have been doing exceptionally well gathering vast amounts of energy, until now."

"Not to worry. It's no task I cannot handle," the star shitennou reassured Beryl.

Before Beryl could respond, she and Nephrite heard very familiar chuckling. The star shitennou gave a deep scowl as Zoisite revealed himself. What could he want this time?

"Are you sure about that, Nephrite? It seems that those pesky little girls are more than you can handle. I would be more than happy to help you." said Zoisite, smiling sweetly. "Would that be all right with you, Queen Beryl?"

"Excellent idea. I’m sure Zoisite has some ideas that would be of great help to you."

"No way!" spouted Nephrite.

Zoisite gave an expression of mock surprise. "But Queen Beryl said we should work together. You intend to defy her? Not a very smart decision, if you value your life."

Nephrite glared down at the sakura shitennou. "You’re blinded by your foolish delusions as always, I see. I never had any intention of doing this for Beryl. I do as I like. I won't accept assistance from a lowly general-in-training like you. Excuse me." With that, he disappeared from the throne room.

The wicked queen pounded at her crystal ball whilst clenching her teeth. "Nephrite..." she muttered, disgusted that the star shitennou dared to contradict her command.

Zoisite, on the other hand, had a devious grin on his face and his eyes were full of glee. _'My plan is working. It won't be long before Queen Beryl will have lost confidence in Nephrite. Hmmhmmhmmhmm.'_

(Tsukino residence)

Usagi awoke at the sound of the snooze alarm, stretching and yawning loudly as she climbed out of bed. Luna cringed at the exaggeration of it before rolling her eyes as if to say, _‘Really?’ _ The blonde quickly got dressed, slipped on her shoes and dashed into the bathroom. Luna watched with an amused smile on her face, which turned genuine. _‘I must admit it is refreshing to see her putting in the effort.’_

Several minutes later, Usagi returned. She took a peek at herself in the mirror, smiling in satisfaction before retrieving her backpack. Shooting a quick glance at the clock, a small proud-of-herself grin formed on her lips as she exhaled a light sigh of relief._ 'Great! I'm actually going to be able to sit down and enjoy my breakfast for a change. Hadn't done that on a school day in ages.' _ Exiting the room, she raced down the stairs, her backpack thumping against her back the entire time. She entered the dining room to see Shingo and her parents seated at the table. "Good morning.”

Shingo gave his sister a look of mock surprise, whilst Mr. Tsukino smiled slightly. "Well, well, Usagi, it's nice to see you up this bright and early.”

"Big deal you got out of bed for once," scoffed Shingo. "In my book, you're still brainless."

Usagi started to retort something nasty, but then her mouth clamped shut, deciding her pesky little brother wasn't worth the effort.

Kenji ignored the snide comments and picked up the newspaper, glancing at the headlines. He perused it before turning to Shingo with a smile on his face. "Shingo, there's an article about your best friend, Mika. It says her doll has won first prize in the French Doll contest."

"Really? That's awesome!"

"I think Mika is well on her way to following in her mother's footsteps," said Mrs. Tsukino.

A mischievous grin formed on Usagi’s lips as a way to get back at her brother for his insulting remark earlier came to her. She pointed the spoon towards him as if it were a microphone. "This is reporter Usagi Tsukino. How does it feel to be friends with a celebrity?"

Shingo's face turned as red as a tomato. "Stop it!" He got up and ran from the table.

Usagi looked dazed, just barely hearing Shingo’s protest. "That concludes this morning's news coverage at the Tsukino's."

Shingo stuck his tongue out at the blonde. "I knew you couldn't keep up the early streak, you silly girl! Hope you're ready for detention!"

"Nuh-uh. For once I will be early for school." Usagi grinned and glanced at her watch. Her grin faded and to be replaced by panic when she was hit with the realization she had spent more time talking with her family than it had felt like. "Oh no! Shingo is right! I will be late!" She grabbed her lunch satchel and ran out of the house as fast as she could, leaving her parents shaking their heads.

Just as Usagi burst into the school gate, she heard the sound of the second bell ringing. _‘Oh crap!_’ She raced to her classroom as if her life had depended on it, then got down on all fours to crawl inside, desperately trying to get to her seat without Ms. Haruna noticing.

Ms. Haruna looked as if she had been more or less aware of Usagi’s tardiness. She shot a glare at the blonde. "Late again, Usagi? Out into the hallway you go!"

Sighing heavily, Usagi rose to her feet and exited the classroom, peering down with her lips forming into a pout. _'This is so unfair…I hope the principal doesn't see me. But at least I won't be falling asleep in class from waking up so early this morning. Still, standing out here all day is not a part of my contract.'_ She heaved another sigh, one of hopelessness. _‘Why do I even bother?’_ She leaned against the wall, slumping down as if she were on the verge of collapsing.

Naru took a quick peek out the window to see the blonde and then turned away, shaking her head with a look of sympathy etched on her features. She could feel a smile escaping, but bit her lip hard to keep a straight face. _‘I know she brought it on herself, but it’s still so sad. I hope she learns, though.’_ Putting on her best attentive look, she glanced up at the teacher, awaiting her instructions. The last thing she wanted was to be berated for daydreaming or something. _‘Not that she’s ever yelled at me for it before, but it’s still possible if she’s in a bad enough mood.’_

“All right, class, it’s time to begin!” Ms. Haruna announced. “I’m glad to see you seem ready. I trust you all completed your reading assignments?”

“Yes, Haruna-sensei,” the students chorused.

Ms. Haruna smiled slightly. “Good.” Her smile faded and was replaced with an all-business expression. “I want you to complete the review questions at the end of the chapter. I will be collecting it at the end of the period.”

“Yes ma’am.” The students then fell silent, the only sound in the room being the flipping pages of their textbooks and notebooks. They all began to write busily.

Ms. Haruna smiled in satisfaction before taking her seat to grade the quiz from the previous day.

(later)

Usagi breathed a light sigh of relief when the final bell rang. She was about to begin clearing off her desk when she spotted Naru sliding a note over to her from the corner of her eye. She bit her lip to keep from uttering a surprised,_ ’Oh!’_ whilst she picked up the note and unfolded it. It read: _“Hey, Usagi-chan, wanna walk home together?”_

The blonde scrunched up her brow in thought and scribbled, _“Sure!”, _then passed it back to Naru. She watched as her friend read the response, grinning when the red-head’s lips curled up slightly. Packing up her books, she rose from her seat, then grabbed her satchel and backpack before following the remainder of students out of the classroom. She stood in the hall, tapping her foot as the other students took their leave. As Ami walked past, she tapped her on the shoulder, prompting the blue-haired teen to stop and face her. “Thank you for giving me the work I missed, Ami-chan. You’re such a great friend.”

Ami smiled. “It was my pleasure. I’ll see you later. Call me this evening if you need help.”

“Okay, I will. See you.”

Ami gave a light nod before walking away. After she was gone, Naru emerged from the classroom, wandering over to the blonde. “Ready to go?” she asked.

Usagi grinned. “You bet! Let’s go!”

The two teens walked down the hall and exited the building, leaving the premises together. Usagi looked pensive for a moment, before blowing at her bangs. “Phew! Thank goodness school is over. It felt like the longest day of my life.”

Naru tilted her head at the blonde. “I’m sure it did.” She paused as a puzzled frown crossed her features at the question that had been plaguing her mind the entire day. "I have to ask, though, how come you're always late for school, Usagi-chan? Don't you get tired of that?"

"Oh, just leave me alone," replied Usagi in a grumpy tone. Before she could say any more, two young girls who appeared to be the same age as Shingo walked up to her and Naru, making the pair stop in their tracks. Usagi frowned in concern at the frantic expressions they wore. _‘I wonder what’s up.’_

"Aren't you Usagi-san, Shingo's sister?" asked the girl with bright auburn hair.

Usagi looked surprised. "Yes, that's me. Why? What's up?"

"Shingo-kun is a jerk. We're not his friends anymore," answered the navy-haired girl impetuously.

'_Well, the part about him being a jerk is true,' _Usagi couldn't help thinking, but knew it would do little to comfort the girls. "How so? Did he do something?"

"It was really mean," said the blue-haired girl.

_*Flashback Begins*_

"_Shingo-kun…Shingo-kun," the young boy heard a girl's voice call. He looked up and saw his best friend Mika standing before him, holding something tied in a satchel._

"_Hi Mika-chan. Congratulations on winning the contest."_

"_Shingo-kun, this is for you."_

_Shingo’s eyes widened a bit. _"_For me?"_

"_It's the doll I made that won the contest," Mika explained._

"_Are you sure? It is very precious to you. And besides, what would your mom think?" _

"_She won’t mind. You're my best friend. I want you to have it."_

_Shingo blushed a little. He chewed on his bottom lip whilst hesitating, for he still had doubts about whether he should accept such a present. He scrunched up his brow as he wracked his brain for a way to gently decline so he wouldn’t hurt her feelings. _

_Several boys had just finished eating their lunches and had begun to watch the pair. Their lips curled into mischievous grins upon seeing the slight blush lighting up Shingo’s face. **‘Ooo, love at first sight…he can’t fool anyone. It’s written all over his face.’ **Their grins turned into smirks as they sneakily wandered over to him and Mika. "Oooh, look at the lovebirds," one of them taunted. "Shingo and Mika, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"_

_At that, Shingo’s cheeks became hot, and a look of annoyance materialized on his features. He faced the boys, then turned back to Mika, who still held out the handmade doll with a pleading look in her eyes. Clenching his teeth, he glared darts at his friend. Like a snapping rubber band, he reached out a hand to push the doll away. "I don't want it!" _ _He mentally gasped as the realization hit him that he sounded harsher than he intended to._

_Mika’s eyes widened with shock, and the satchel slipped out of her outstretched hand. Her entire body became paralyzed, making her unable to reach down and grab it at the last minute. She watched as her satchel fell to the ground, letting out a gasp when she heard a sickening crack. _

_The teaser feigned an ashamed look whilst being bathed by a “this is awkward” feeling. _"_I didn't do it,” he stammered, before he and the other boys turned to leave. _

_Mika felt a tightness in her chest, along with her heart skipping several beats. She picked up the satchel, untying it to take a look at her doll. Her eyes widened in horror to see that a piece of the doll's head was broken off and the remainder of the body had cracks. She hugged it close to her, tears stinging at the corner of her eyes._

_A pang of guilt struck Shingo in the chest, making him flinch. All he could do was turn away, for the words he knew he should say escaped him. _

_*Flashback Ends*_

"Shingo-kun didn't even say he was sorry," concluded the navy-haired girl.

"Mika-chan cried all afternoon," the auburn-haired girl added. "Please speak to him."

A scowl formed on the blonde’s features. She clenched her left fist to calm the anger rising inside her. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it. Thanks for telling me."

"No, thank _you_!" both girls chimed. With that, they walked away.

Naru watched the girls with a look of sympathy, before giving her best friend a sideways glance. "What happened to Mika's doll was just awful. You have to make Shingo listen to you."

Usagi’s lips curled into a confident grin, then it turned into a purposeful look. "It'll be a piece of cake. I'm his older sister. He's going to apologize to Mika whether he wants to or not.”

(Kayama residence-Mika’s bedroom)

Mika sat at her desk with a hand beneath her chin, staring into space and looking forlorn. The door was closed, and her room was dimly lit, which fed her current mood. By then, her tears had subsided, but she still felt as if all her energy had been zapped. She brought up a hand to rub at her itchy eyes and throbbing forehead. Heaving a dejected sigh, she glanced at her new work-in-progress doll and began to reach out a hand to shove it aside, but froze, lifting her eyes a little as she was reminded of a way to keep herself busy. _'After all, I’ll only go crazy if I just sit here moping. Was going to do this doll anyway, even if Shingo hadn’t broken my other one. I just hope Mommy doesn't notice I've been crying…because then I will have to tell her about the broken doll…she'll be very upset. But then again, maybe she'll give me advice on what to do.'_

Having made up her mind, Mika pulled the doll in front of her and was about to begin more work on it when all of a sudden, she heard a knock on the door, prompting her to look over her shoulder. “Come in,” she said in what she hoped was an inviting voice.

The door cracked open, and Mrs. Kayama entered the room, frowning in curiosity as the darkness penetrated her irises. “Why is it so dark in here, Mika?" she asked.

"I concentrate better this way," the little girl answered.

Mrs. Kayama wandered over to her daughter’s desk, her eyes filling with intrigue upon noticing the partially finished doll. She picked it up to get a better look. "I see you have started work on a new doll. She looks as if she's going to cry."

Mika furrowed her brow at the observation as if it were news to her. _'Did I somehow put how I’m feeling into this doll without knowing it?'_ The previous wave of depression swam over her, revealing itself as a lump in her throat and tears welling up in her eyes. "Really?" she asked, her voice beginning to waver. “Should I make some changes to it?” She turned away from her mother and sucked in a deep breath, releasing it through her nostrils as the tears cascaded down her face.

“Oh no, not at all. It’s really very pretty. I was just taken by surprise. Anyway, let's compare it with your prizewinner. Do you have it with you at the moment?" The older woman became quiet, a concerned frown crossing her features when she heard soft sobs coming from Mika. "Darling? What's wrong?"

Mika released a deep, ragged breath before glancing up at her mother with blotchy red eyes. "Mommy, please don't be angry, but Shingo broke the doll today."

Mrs. Kayama’s frown turned into a look of surprise mixed with horror, clearly not expecting to hear such news. "What? Why would he do such a thing?"

"I don't know." Mika opened the drawer she had been hiding her shattered doll, and took it out to show her mother. "Look!"

Mrs. Kayama took the doll from Mika, holding it up to better examine. Her face was stone grey at the extensive damage, as she knew it was irreparable. She turned back to her daughter with sympathetic eyes. "Oh my…how terrible. I’m sure it was just an accident. "

Mika sighed, meeting her mother’s eyes with a look of doubt etched on her features. “Maybe, but I really don’t know. After all, he didn’t say he was sorry, so I feel like he doesn’t care.”

Mrs. Kayama felt her heart twisting in agony at her daughter’s deep despair, but she nodded. "I understand. In any event, I can still see the similarities between this and your new doll," she said, placing the prize-winning doll back on the desk. She gave the little girl a comforting pat on the shoulder before leaving the room, shutting the door behind her.

Exhaling a light sigh, Mika wiped her eyes and then picked up the mop of hair, resting it atop her new doll’s head. She grabbed her broken doll to give one last sorrowful glance and shoved it back inside the drawer, breaking into another pool of tears.

(mansion)

Nephrite stood in his observatory unit with a pensive expression on his face as his meeting with Queen Beryl replayed in his mind. He knew he had taken a foolish risk defying the witch queen the way he did, but he didn't care. Accept help from Zoisite? Not in this universe. _‘Death is far more preferable, as I’m completely certain my youma would agree.’_ He cracked a smile thinking about the snarky remarks his henchwomen would have most likely made.

The smile disappeared from Nephrite’s face to be replaced with a meditative expression, then the unit grew dark. "The stars know everything. They will guide me to the next victim, a person whose energy is reaching its peak." The reddish colored laser went through the center of his forehead before producing an image of a little girl with chestnut hair. "Ah, Orpheus the musician is playing his harp. Orpheus has chosen my next target. Mika Kayama, your energy is _mine_!" He gave an evil laugh.

The star shitennou’s laughter died down, and a serious expression materialized. '_Now how do I trap this little girl?’_ With Mika being even younger than his previous target, he knew a change in tactics was obviously in ordersince there was the issue of propriety.

A small smile formed on Nephrite’s lips as he wracked his brain for a way to use the potential drawback to his advantage. _‘Hmm, Mika’s mother is a dollmaker as well, and she is quite talented._’ The smile grew at the answer in front of him. It was all he could do not to facepalm in annoyance for not thinking of it before. _‘After all, I wished to speak her mother from the outset, so this is perfect.’ _His stomach churned at the thought of having to muster even more “kindness” than usual. _'How nauseating. Then again, it is what makes her easy prey to become a sacrifice for the Great Metallia! Hmhmhm. '_

(Tsukino residence-Shingo’s bedroom)

Shingo sat at his desk with several sheets of paper laid out in front of him. For awhile he just sat there enjoying the peacefulness in his room, free from angry stares and whispers. _‘Mika’s friends will never let me live this down, and if Mom, Dad, or stupid Usagi find out…oh boy. It’s hard enough without their nagging and yelling. Well, I’ll deal with this on my own.’_

The young boy heaved a loud sigh before picking up his pen to begin work on the letter. "Mika, I’m sorry I broke your doll. It was an accident," he read aloud whilst he wrote. A dissatisfied frown appeared on his features as he stopped, listening to himself. With a frustrated groan, he crumpled up the paper. "Dang it, I can't get the letter just right!" He was about to toss it in the trash when all of a sudden he heard a loud banging on his door.

"Shingo! May I please talk with you?" a female's voice screamed.

Shingo flinched at the sound of his sister’s voice. He opened his mouth, ready to tell her to get lost, but closed it upon noticing she sounded angry. Biting back a gulp, he managed to stutter, “C-Come in.”

The door swung wide open, and Usagi walked in with a scowl etched on her delicate features. Shingo hung back as if he were expecting an attack from a ferocious animal. He watched as she approached him, his eyes bulging out when she smacked him on the head. "Oww! What was that for?"

"That was for Mika!" Usagi responded in her most stern, no-nonsense voice. "You broke her doll today, and I want you to apologize to her right now!"

Shingo grimaced, letting out a grunt through gritted teeth, as he wanted to just be left alone. _‘Just what I was afraid of…though I wonder how she knew. Was she spying on me?’_ He gave his sister a dirty look before turning away from her and putting up a hand. "That's none of your business! Get out of my room!"

Usagi’s expression remained firm, and a glint of smugness flashed in her eyes as the perfect guilt trip came to mind. "I guess I will have to tell Mom and Dad about this. What do you think will happen then?"

The little boy shuddered at the thought of Usagi carrying out her threat. Queasiness manifested in his stomach at the probable punishments their parents would dish out: allowance taken away, grounded in his bedroom for a _very _long time, and no inviting friends over. He turned back to face the blonde with pleading eyes whilst clasping his hands. "No! Please don't!"

Usagi felt a satisfied smirk forming on her lips upon seeing her authoritative tone was effective. "I thought so. Does that mean you'll do what I say?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"So, go over to Mika's house and say you're sorry right now!"

Shingo stared Usagi in the eye and could see there was no use contradicting her. He put up his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. I'll go already."

Usagi looked pleased, despite the tinge of reluctance she heard in the young boy’s voice. “Good. I’ll check back with you later.” She exited the room, smiling to herself.

Shingo released a groan of dismay, knowing he had no choice if he wished to avoid severe consequences. Not that he _didn’t _want to make amends, but doing it on his own terms without anyone getting on his case was much more preferable. The guilt eating away at him was hard enough. _‘If I’m to be honest, I won’t feel better until I do get it off my chest. I guess I better get this over with. I wasn’t making any progress on the letter, anyway.’_ With an even heavier sigh than before, the young boy rose from his seat, dragging his feet whilst he left the room.

Shingo felt his heart racing and a swarm of butterflies fluttering around in his stomach as he made his way to Mika’s house. The palm of his hands also began to sweat. Despite initially treating the mission as one of his most hated chores, he was inwardly smiling at Usagi’s meddling, since chances were that he would have been too afraid to face Mika. _‘I just hope I don’t make an even bigger mess of things.’_ He looked a bit hopeful as he came up with a way to deliver a simple apology _and_ be heart felt at the same time. "Mika, I'm so sorry. I'll make it up to you if it takes the rest of my life!" A pleased half-smile escaped, and the butterflies in his stomach calmed down. _'I think that'll do.'_

Inhaling a deep breath, Shingo released it as he began to cross the street to his best friend’s house. A red car sped in his direction and towards Mika’s house, causing him to give a panicked yelp whilst dashing out of the way. He exhaled several breaths to calm himself before taking a better look at the car, an awed expression forming on his face. "Wow, what an awesome car! I'd sure love to have a car like that when I'm old enough to drive!" An excited grin formed on his face, then it disappeared to be replaced with a look of despair. _'Of course, it would take pulling teeth to get Mom and Dad to buy me one. Whoever it belongs to is very lucky.'_

Nephrite climbed out of his Ferrari, putting on a neutral expression before walking up the steps. He felt eyes on him, but he successfully remained pokerfaced as he reached up a finger to ring the doorbell.

_DING-DONG._

"Yes?" a woman's voice answered.

"My name is Masato Sanjouin. I called several minutes ago to notify you of my visit." A small smirk threatened to escape. _‘Yes, a visit to set in place my plan for Mika to become my pawn.’_

"Yes, I remember. I'll be there in a minute!"

Shingo frowned at the interruption as disappointment flashed in his eyes. What would he report to his sister? His stomach twisted with worry._ 'Looks like Mika will have a guest. I'll just write what I have to say in a note and give it to her at school tomorrow.' _ He turned around and began to make his way back home.

While waiting, Nephrite retrieved his cell phone to silence it, for he didn’t want any disturbances during his “conversation” with the dollmakers. Just as he was slipping it back into his pants’ pocket, he heard footsteps and the door opening, revealing Mrs. Kayama. She gave the young man a warm smile. "Come on in, Mr. Sanjouin," she said, cracking the door a bit more and stepping to the side to give him room to walk in.

Nephrite managed a tiny reserved smile in turn before entering the house, taking his shoes off and shutting the door.

Mrs. Kayama led the star shitennou into the living room over to the couches. “I’ll go get my daughter. You have a seat.” 

“All right,” agreed Nephrite, before sitting down on one of the sofas and crossing one leg over the other. He did a quick gaze around, absorbing his surroundings, as it was his first time in a mortal’s home. His lips quirked up slightly at the peaceful and homey atmosphere. _‘I must admit, this home is rather lovely. Very simple, but elegant. Even so, I must remain on my guard and not forget my mission.’_ The sound of two pairs of footsteps approaching the living room jolted him out of his musings. He turned to see Mrs. Kayama had returned with her daughter, to whom he gave a light nod of acknowledgement. 

Mika murmured a quiet, “hello”, before she and her mother sat across from Nephrite. Mika peered down at her lap whilst Mrs. Kayama glanced up at her guest. "So, Masato-san, what can I do for you today? What's on your mind? Can I get you anything to eat or drink?"

“I appreciate the sentiment, but that won’t be necessary. However, there is something I wish to discuss.”

Mrs. Kayama nodded. “All right. What is it?”

"It’s in regards to your craft. I thought only Pierre Jumeau was capable of classical doll making, but your works have changed my mind. You have created masterpieces."

Mrs. Kayama's face turned bright red. "Oh, thank you for the compliment."

"Your daughter is quite talented as well."

"How kind of you to say so. I’m sure she appreciates it."

"Mika's doll that won first prize in the contest was very beautiful!" continued Nephrite. "I wonder, could I see it again?"

Mrs. Kayama's facial expression turned grim as she answered, "I am sorry to say it has been destroyed." She turned to her daughter. "Why don't you show him the one you're working on?"

"All right." The little girl rose up from her spot and went into her room. She returned a few minutes later with a small satchel, sitting back down. Placing the satchel on the table, she untied it, revealing her new doll.

Nephrite eyed the doll with a look of genuine admiration. "Oh, she's wonderful." He picked up the doll to better examine. "I love her face. Her expression is very sad." His expression then turned meditative as he touched the doll's forehead and engraved it with his magical crest. _'I bestow the forces of evil which will increase Mika's energy to its peak so that I shall steal it for Queen Beryl.'_ The doll's sad expression changed into an evil smile.

Mrs. Kayama’s eyes went wide at the demonstration. The eeriness of the smile and cold eyes on the doll sent a slight shiver down her spine, but she didn’t show it. _‘It is rather refreshing to see a smile instead of a gloomy look.’_ She plastered on an impressed expression. "Wow! That was magnificent!"

Nephrite then glanced up at Mika, suppressing the smirk that threatened to form on his lips. "I was wondering if you would make ten copies of this doll just for me.”

Mika blinked in surprise. What could a guy like him do with ten dolls? "Um...sure, I suppose so...but why so many?"

"I’m sure there are some people who would love to purchase your handiwork."

"My exhibition will open next weekend,” Mrs. Kayama poke up, trying to minimize the awkwardness in the air. "Some of Mika's work will be there as well. Can you try to come and see it, Mr. Sanjouin?"

Nephrite’s brow furrowed as if he were giving the invitation some thought. "That I can. I look forward to it." He inwardly gave a sinister grin. '_ What I’m looking forward to is seizing Mika’s energy so I can capture it for the Great Ruler! These humans are so gullible, it's pathetic.' _

(planetarium)

After aiding the twins in the kitchen, Ruby materialized, her lips curling into a grin to see Nephrite had returned from the Kayama residence. Her eyes oozed with excitement, and it took every fiber in her being to keep it contained.

_‘Hmm?’ _ Nephrite shifted his gaze towards the extra presence he sensed, a small smile forming on his lips when he saw his henchwoman. “Ruby,” he acknowledged.

Ruby gave a respectful curtsy before facing the star shitennou with a curious smile. "How did it go, luring such a young girl into your trap?" she asked.

"It was simpler than I thought. All it took was to lavish her with compliments."

Ruby tilted her head. "Of course."

"I have also been invited to attend the Doll Exhibit. It will be a perfect opportunity to seize Mika's energy once it reaches its peak."

"Most definitely, once the perfect trap is set." Ruby’s smile faded, and a dreamy expression crossed her features. _'Oh, it would sure be nice if I can go to this exhibit to see how talented this girl is at doll making. But what if Master Nephrite says no if I ask him? And who knows if this event is an open invitation for everyone or not?' _She nervously twirled one of her cherry coloured curls around her finger.

“You’re welcome to accompany me if you wish, as are Miki and Yukari.”

Ruby’s eyes brightened upon hearing that. _‘He read my mind.’_ She put on her best pokerface to hide her relief and excitement. "Thank you, sir. I'll tell them."

(night time-Mika’s room)

Mika sat at her desk, where she had been for hours. Once she had put the final touches on her work-in-progress doll, she started the first of the ten dolls she was requested to make. A massive burst of energy surged through her, enabling her to work fairly quickly. _‘I still think Mr. Sanjouin’s request is kind of weird, but I’ve been in the mood to make dolls since after he left, and I really like the idea of allowing people to buy my dolls.’_ Picking up the mop of hair, she rested it atop the doll’s head and then grabbed the chosen outfit to dress it.

Just then, the room door cracked open, making Mika turn away from her mostly completed doll and peer over her shoulder. She saw her mother poking her head in, at which she put on a neutral expression. _‘I hope she didn’t come to bug me about going to bed.’_

The older woman wandered into the room, over to Mika’s desk. She smiled at the fact that it was even more cluttered than before. "My, my. You have been busy all evening. I see you’ve completed one doll already."

"Yup. I feel so full of energy I think I can complete at least half of them in one night."

Mrs. Kayama smiled, then her expression turned serious. "I understand how you feel, but it is bedtime now. You have school in the morning."

"But I'm still wide awake," Mika protested.

Mrs. Kayama sighed. She could see she was going to have to be a bit more assertive with the little girl, which was rare, given her usual compliance. She proceeded to push the materials away from her daughter."Work time is over now." Her tone was gentle, yet firm.

Mika’s nostrils flared and her eyes narrowed dangerously. Thrusting her arm forward, she shoved her mother away. "Get out of here!" she yelled, before springing from her chair and glaring at the older woman.

For a moment Mrs. Kayama looked taken aback as she mentally flinched from the proverbial slap in her face. This angry side of her daughter left her speechless. _‘Mika is usually very sweet and giving. What brought on this change?' _ She drew in a deep breath, ready to scold the little girl for her rude behavior but thought better of it upon seeing the fierce expression on her face. Instead, she turned around and exited the room with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Mika felt a devilish little smirk forming on her lips. She dressed the near completed doll, and the magical crest appeared on its forehead. As she studied her creation, a giggle escaped. _‘No one will get in my way now.’_


End file.
